NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State baseball team will play host to Missouri Valley Conference foe Evansville when it plays its first league games at Duffy Bass Field this weekend. The three-game series begins Friday.
The opener will begin at 4:30 p.m. Friday, followed by a 2 p.m. start Saturday and a 1 p.m. finale on Sunday.
"With Evansville, you can always expect a team that will pitch and defend at a high level, and a team that is well-coached in the fundamentals," said Illinois State head coach Bo Durkac. "This year's Evansville team also features a very imposing lineup with many of the same hitters whom we faced last year when they swept us at their place. This weekend will be a great challenge for us."
Illinois State (12-13) returns to Duffy Bass Field after playing four games away from home. The Redbirds were swept in a three-game series at then-No. 15 Dallas Baptist, March 27-29, before rebounding with an 18-14 win at Eastern Illinois on Tuesday. Several Redbirds turned in career days at the plate in Tuesday's win, including Paul DeJong, who tied an Illinois State record with three home runs in the contest.
The Redbirds will look to pitchers Will Headean (3-2, 3.46 ERA), Jacob Hendren (4-1, 3.20) and Jack Landwehr (2-3, 5.35) to start this weekend's games. Evansville will counter with Connor Strain (1-3, 5.25), Patrick Schneiders (2-3, 4.37) and Brodie Harkness (3-1, 4.84).
Illinois State holds an edge in the all-time series against the Purple Aces, with a 58-44-1 record in the series, dating back to 1948. Evansville (13-11) won all three meetings between the two teams last year, however, May 10-11, 2014, at Braun Stadium in Evansville, Indiana.
The Redbirds will have just one day off after the weekend series. They host Northern Illinois on Tuesday, April 7, at 3 p.m.
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