TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - #5 Illinois State (30-21, 10-11 MVC) opens the 2014 Missouri Valley Conference Championship Tuesday at 9:00 am EST versus #4 Wichita State (29-26, 13-8 MVC). The winner of the double-elimination conference tournament will receive an automatic bid to a NCAA Regional.
Pitching Probables
Tue.
Dan Savas (ISU) RHP, 7-4, 2.01 ERA
Cale Elam (WSU) RHP, 7-1, 2.20 ERAÂ
Wed.
TBD
The Opposition: #5 Wichita State Shockers (29-26, 13-8 MVC)
• The Wichita State Shockers swept a three-game series at Duffy Bass Field May 15-17. WSU took game one, 2-0, won game two, 2-1, and run-ruled Illinois State, 15-5 (7).
• The Shockers have now won five-consecutive games vesus Illinois State and defeated the Redbirds, 5-2, in the title game of the 2013 Missouri Valley Conference Championship.
#1 Evansville Purple Aces (34-19, 15-6 MVC)
• Evansville owns a 3-0 record versus Illinois State this season. The Purple Aces swept a three-game series versus Illinois State May 9-11 in Southern Indiana.
• The Purple Aces are the top seed in the MVC Championship, having won the 2014 Missouri Valley Conference regular season title with a Valley mark of 15-6. It is Evansville's first conference championship since 2006.Â
#8 Southern Illinois Salukis (25-29, 4-17 MVC)
• The Redbirds earned a three-game Valley sweep over Southern Illinois April 25-27 at Duffy Bass Field. All three games were decided by one run and the first two contests went into extra innings.
• Illinois State has won 11-consecutive games versus the Salukis.
Last Time Out
For the second-consecutive weekend, Illinois State baseball was swept in Missouri Valley Conference action. Saturday's loss to the Shockers brought ISU's losing streak to a season-high six games. The Redbirds were swept in a three-game series May 9-11 in Evansville, marking the first time ISU was swept in a three-game Valley series since Creighton upended the Redbirds May 1-3, 2009. Wichita State outscored ISU 19-6 for a three-game sweep May 15-17. The Shockers blanked ISU, 2-0, Thursday, rallied to top the Redbirds, 2-1, Friday and run-ruled Illinois State, 15-5 (7), Saturday. The Redbirds finished the Valley season with a 10-11 mark.
Illinois State In The MVC Championship
One year after hosting the Missouri Valley Conference Championship at Duffy Base Field, and playing as the one-seed, Illinois State enters this week's MVC Championship as a #5 seed. The Redbirds advanced to the championship game last season, before falling to Wichita State in the title tilt, 5-2. ISU won the MVC Championship in 2010 and 1994 to earn bids to a NCAA Regional.
Back to Bob Warn Field
Illinois State enters the 2014 Missouri Valley Conference Championship as the #5 seed, but could have a potential home field advantage at Bob Warn Field. The Redbirds have already played six games this season in Terre Haute, Ind., and has gone 4-2 overall at Bob Warn Field. The Redbirds opened Missouri Valley Conference action with a series-win over Bradley in a neutral-site series on Indiana State's home turf. The games had been scheduled for Duffy Bass Field in Normal, Ill., but the series was moved due to unplayable field conditions. The Redbirds then took a three-game series from the Sycamores the final weekend of March.
DeJong Nabs First-Team All-Valley Honors
Redshirt sophomore second baseman Paul DeJong earned First-Team All-Missouri Valley Conference honors, which were announced by Valley officials Monday. DeJong batted .360/.443/.605 for the Redbirds with 10 doubles, three triples and eight home runs. He knocked in 45 runs and tallied 121 total bases. Pitchers Dan Savas and David Suarez were named Second-Team All-Valley selections while Dennis Colon, Mike Hollenbeck, Daniel Dwyer, Dylan Craig and Jeremy Rhoades were dubbed All-Missouri Valley Conference Honorable Mention selections.
NCAA Leaders In Strikeouts-Per Nine Innings
Illinois State pitching currently leads the NCAA in strikeouts-per nine innings with a team-stat of 9.3. North Carolina State (9.2), Vanderbilt (8.9), Duke (8.7), and Cal Poly (8.6) round out the top five. Valley-foe Dallas Baptist (8.5) ranks seventh nationally. Missouri State is ranked 27th at 7.6.
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