NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State baseball team will host its first weekend series of the 2017 season when Dayton visits for a three-game nonconference set beginning Friday at Duffy Bass Field.
First pitch for Friday's game is slated for 4:30 p.m. The second and third games in the series will begin Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m., respectively.
All Illinois State home baseball games at Duffy Bass Field feature free admission.
Illinois State (7-19) returns to action after a 4-3 loss to Valparaiso in 12 innings Tuesday at Duffy Bass Field. Illinois State scored three runs in the fifth inning, courtesy of back-to-back doubles from Bryce Grimm and Collin Braithwaite, to tie the game, but Valpo won it in the 12th inning when Chase Dawson drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the game-winning run.
Dayton (9-17) enters the weekend series on a four-game slide after being swept in a weekend series at St. Bonaventure last weekend and losing a midweek contest at Ohio on Tuesday.
The teams have limited history, with Illinois State owning a 6-3 edge over Dayton in the series dating back to 1974. The Flyers won the most recent meeting, 5-4, at the Austin Peay Invitational on Feb. 24, 2006.
Illinois State will use the same three pitchers to comprise its rotation for the fourth-straight weekend, in left-hander Matt Walker (0-0, 7.31 ERA), right-hander Brady Huffman (1-1, 4.50) and lefty Brent Headrick (0-2, 5.25). Dayton will go with right-hander Austin Cline (1-4, 7.23) and lefties Tyler Henry (2-1, 4.06) and Mason Kutruff (2-3, 6.21).
Links for live video, audio stats are available at GoRedbirds.com, and fans can follow @RedbirdBaseball on Twitter for live updates and more.
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