ST LOUIS – Illinois State won three-of-six post-season specialty awards, as well as placed five on the All-MVC teams announced by the conference office on Tuesday morning. The Redbirds won the Joe Carter Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, and Dan Callahan Coach of the Year, as well as brought home four All-MVC First Team Honors, and one All-MVC Honorable Mention award.
The Redbirds right fielder Joe Aeilts was named MVC Joe Carter Player of the Year. Left-handed starting pitcher, Brent Headrick was named Pitcher of the Year. Meanwhile, first year head coach, Steve Holm brought home MVC Coach of the Year.
Along with Aeilts and Headrick, juniors Joe Butler and John Rave joined the two on the All-MVC First Team. Sophomore, Jack Butler was named to the All-Honorable Mention team. Rave was also named to the All-MVC Defensive Team for a third straight season.
Holm, a native of Sacramento, California, was named head Coach of the Illinois State Redbirds on June 22, 2018. In his first season, he has guided the Redbirds to a 32-22, 14-7 MVC record including a share of the MVC regular season title after being selected sixth in the preseason. Holm 's 32 victories is tied with Mark Kinston (2010) for most wins in their first season as head coach of the Redbird baseball team.
Aeilts, from Champaign, Illinois is one of four Redbirds that has started every game this season, playing both right field or third base. In conference play this season, Aeilts slashed .349/.404/.570 with seven doubles, four home runs, 19 RBI, and 18 runs scored. Aeilts placed in the top-five throughout the conference in hits (30), RBI, doubles, and total bases (49).
Headrick, a Custer Park, Illinois, native defeated every MVC team he faced this season going a perfect 7-0 with a 1.31 ERA with one complete game. Headrick tossed 48 innings allowing 12 runs (seven earned) on 30 hits. He walked just 13 batters and fanned 60 while opponents hit just .175 off of the left-handed pitcher. The junior led the MVC in wins, ERA, earned runs, and strikeouts. Last season, he was named to the All-MVC Defensive Team along with Rave.
Rave, from Bloomington, Illinois is one of four Redbirds to have started every game this season, but unlike the other Redbirds, Rave has started every game in the same position. The junior slashed .289/.343/.598 during the conference season. The preseason All-MVC first teamer led the team in conference play with 97 at-bats, 22 runs scored, eight home runs, 22 RBI, and 58 total bases. Rave led the MVC in home runs and total bases, while placing in the top-five in runs scored and RBI. Last season, Rave was named to the All-MVC Second Team after earning All-MVC Honorable Mention his freshman season.
Joe Butler, a Channon, Illinois, is also one of four Redbirds that has started every game this season, playing at both right field and third base. Butler leads the Redbirds this conference season with a .422 batting average, a .489 on-base percentage, and a .614 slugging percentage. The junior third basemen also led the 'Birds in hits (35), and tied for the team lead with one triple while doubling eight times with two home runs, 12 RBI, and 19 runs scored. The junior led the MVC this season in hits, and placed in the top-five in doubles and total bases.
Jack Butler, from Downs, Illinois has started all 21 conference games this season at first base for the Redbirds. During conference, he slashed .299/.365/.494 with nine doubles, two home runs, 11 RBI, and 14 runs scored, as his doubles total led the MVC.
The Redbirds, 32-22 after the regular season and 14-7 in Conference play, open play in the MVC Tournament on Wednesday, May 22 at 3 p.m. as the No. 2 seed, Illinois State will play the winner of Tuesday night's game between No. 6 Bradley, and No. 8 seed Southern Illinois.
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