ST. LOUIS – The Illinois State baseball team was picked to finish sixth this year in the annual Missouri Valley Conference preseason coaches' poll, the league announced Tuesday. Â
Missouri State was picked to win the league for the second-straight year, collecting 59 total points in the voting. Dallas Baptist (58) and Indiana State (49) followed closely in the coaches' poll, while Bradley (39) was picked to finish fourth.
Southern Illinois (31) was selected just ahead of the Redbirds (28), who are hosting the 2019 MVC Championship at Duffy Bass Field, while Valparaiso (13) and Evansville (11) rounded out the poll.
Additionally, the 2019 MVC Preseason All-Conference Team was announced on Tuesday, and Illinois State junior outfielder John Rave was selected to the squad. The 2018 All-Defensive Team pick and Second Team All-MVC selection is one of the Redbirds' top returning position players, as he slashed .347/.402/.571 leading the team with eight home runs and 49 RBI last season.
The Redbirds return an experienced pitching staff as the team returns starters from 49 of their 52 games a season ago. Illinois State's core of returners also tossed 378.2 out of a possible 451 innings last season.
Illinois State, under first-year head coach Steve Holm, opens the season in Nashville against Belmont (Feb. 15-17). The team will continue on the road the next three weeks, before hosting Central Michigan (Mar. 15-17) for its first home series.
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