ISU Hosts MVC-Leading Missouri State in Weekend Series

NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State baseball team will host Missouri Valley Conference-leading Missouri State in a weekend series, beginning Friday. The opener is set for a 4:30 p.m. start, followed by a 2 p.m. game Saturday and a 1 p.m. finale Sunday.

Illinois State (20-18, 5-7 MVC) rides a two-game winning streak into the series after a pair of mid-week wins over Illinois Wesleyan and Webster at Duffy Bass Field. The Redbirds lost two of three games in their last MVC series, April 17-19, at Southern Illinois.

Missouri State (28-9, 7-2) enters the series after defeating in-state rival Missouri, 9-8, on Tuesday in Columbia, Missouri. The Bears are ranked in the top 20 of all five of the major national polls, topping out at No. 15 in Baseball America's rankings.

"We have played some very good and highly-ranked teams this year in Vanderbilt, Dallas Baptist and Illinois, and Missouri State looks to be right up there with all of them," said Illinois State head coach Bo Durkac. "They pitch, they defend and they score. We have had some epic battles with the Bears over the past five years, and I expect this weekend to be an intense and competitive series."

The Redbirds will look to starters Will Headean (4-2, 4.16 ERA), Jacob Hendren (7-1, 3.46) and Steve Heilenbach (0-2, 4.67) this weekend. Missouri State will counter with the trio of Jon Harris (4-1, 2.29), Matt Hall (6-1, 2.92) and Jordan Knutson (3-1, 2.70).

Saturday will be "Miracle League of Central Illinois Day" at Duffy Bass Field. The Redbird baseball team will play a game with the Miracle League of Central Illinois, beginning at 10 a.m., before the Redbirds take on Missouri State at 2 p.m. 

Sunday will be "Reggie's Kids Club Day," presented by Papa John's, at both Illinois State's home baseball and softball games. There will be a pregame event at Adelaide Street Soccer Field, beginning at 11 a.m. 

All three of this weekend's game, and all Illinois State baseball games this season, feature free admission.

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