Mar. 25, 2014
Illinois state at Illinois | March 26 |
Location: Champaign, Ill. (Illinois Field - 1,500) |
Wednesday 3/26: 3:00 p.m. |
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NORMAL, Ill. - Following a Valley series-win over Bradley last weekend, Illinois State (15-6, 2-1 Missouri Valley Conference) will travel to Champaign, Ill., for a midweek non-conference game at Illinois (11-10, 0-0 Big Ten) Wednesday afternoon. First pitch is slated for 3:00 p.m. from Illinois Field.
Pitching Probables
Cam Verbeke (ISU) RHP 0-0, 11.81 ERA
Cody Sedlock (Illinois) RHP 2-1, 2.16 ERA
The Opposition: University of Illinois Fighting Illini (11-10, 0-0 Big Ten)
• The University of Illinois is a public, research university that was established in 1867. The school is located in Urbana-Champaign, Ill., and currently enrolls just over 44,520 students.
• The Fighting Illini are guided by ninth-year head coach Dan Hartleb. He owns a 255-209 record as head coach at Illinois. Hartleb is in his 24th overall season on the Illinois coaching staff and is one of the winningest coaches in Illini baseball history.
• Illinois State advanced to the NCAA tournament in 2013 for the second time in three seasons. The Fighting Illini went 35-20, the highest Illinois win total since 2000.
• Illinois State is 32-46 all-time versus the Illini. Illinois won the only meeting between the two rivals last spring.
Last Time Out
Due to unplayable field conditions at Duffy Bass Field, Illinois State's Valley-opening series versus Bradley was moved to Bob Warn Field in Terre Haute, Ind. The Redbirds won two-of-three games versus the Braves.
Illinois State swept a doubleheader Friday versus Bradley to claim a Missouri Valley Conference series-win in Terre Haute, Ind. Logan Leverett clubbed a walk-off three-run home run to run-rule Bradley, 13-1, in seven innings in game one, while David Suarez earned the win in relief and knocked a walk-off RBI single in his first collegiate at-bat to secure a 7-6 come-from-behind win in game two.
Sean Beesley reached base three times, tallied three RBI and scored three runs to help guide Illinois State to a 13-1 run-rule victory over Bradley in the Missouri Valley Conference opener Friday afternoon in Terre Haute, Ind. Dan Savas (6-0) allowed one unearned run on four hits with one strikeout to earn the complete-game win for Illinois State. Savas has now won 16-consecutive decisions dating back to 2013 and secured his 19th-career win at ISU.
Illinois State rallied for four runs over the final three innings to come-from-behind and defeat Bradley, 7-6, in game two Friday at Bob Warn Field. David Suarez (2-0) worked the final two innings, allowing no runs with three strikeouts to earn the victory in relief. Suarez also knocked the game-winning RBI-single to center field in the bottom of the ninth inning to set off a wild celebration on the infield. It was the first-career RBI, single, at-bat and plate-appearance for the second-year Redbird.
Jeremy Rhoades struck out a career-high 11 batters in a career-best eight innings of work, but Illinois State could not overcome and early deficit en route to a 3-1 loss to Bradley Saturday afternoon in Terre Haute, Ind. With a doubleheader sweep Friday, the Redbirds claimed the series-win versus the Braves.
Valley Leaders
Entering play this week, Illinois State leads the Missouri Valley Conference in three statistical categories: team batting average, team slugging percentage and team strikeouts-per-nine innings.
ISU is hitting .307 as a team and are averaging 6.7 runs per game on 10.6 hits per game. The Redbirds have scored at least eight runs in a game eight times this spring. Additionally, ISU is slugging .423 with 45 doubles, six triples and nine home runs.
At a rate of 9.7, the Redbirds lead the MVC, and are second in all of NCAA Division I baseball, in strikeouts-per-nine innings. Dan Savas, Dylan Craig and Jeremy Rhoades have combined for 110 strikeouts in 101.0 innings of work.
Savas Hits 16
Redbird starter Dan Savas (6-0) won his 16th-consecutive decision Friday as Illinois State cruised past Bradley, 13-1, in seven innings in the Valley opener. Savas, who went 10-0 in 2013, has won all-six of his starts this spring. The Preseason All-American is 16-0 in his last 21 decisions and hasn't lost since 2011.
Leverett Named Valley Hitter of the Week - March 24
Logan Leverett was named the Missouri Valley Conference hitter of the week, as announced Monday by the Valley offices in St. Louis. Leverett batted .526/.571/.789 as Illinois State went 4-1.
The Harrisburg, Ill., native went 10-for-19 with one home run, two doubles, four RBI, eight runs scored and one stolen base for the Redbirds. Leverett tallied six hits, including a four-hit effort in game one, as ISU swept a midweek non-conference doubleheader at SIUE Tuesday. Leverett continued his hot-hitting over the weekend, adding four hits as Illinois State won two-of-three games versus Bradley. Leverett launched the game-ending three-run home run to run-rule Bradley in the bottom of the seventh inning Friday.
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