St. Louis, MO. – A year after finishing as co-champions of the Missouri Valley Conference, the Illinois State baseball team was selected to finish third in the annual Preseason MVC Coaches' Poll, the league announced Tuesday.
Dallas Baptist, who shared the crown with the Redbirds a year ago, was picked to finish first in the league after gathering 61 total points. Missouri State was tabbed second with 51 total points, with Illinois State close behind with 49 points.
Indiana State was selected to finish fourth (40) while Bradley (38) was picked fifth. Evansville (21), Southern Illinois (18) and Valparaiso (10) rounded out the poll.
The Redbirds also landed four players on the MVC Preseason All-Conference Team, the most of any school in the conference. Seniors Joe Butler, Jordan Libman and Colton Johnson joined redshirt junior Jack Butler on the squad.
Joe Butler, the lone returning Redbird named to last season's All-MVC First Team, started all 62 games last season at either third base or right field. The Channahon, Ill. native slashed .319/.370/.450 with 14 doubles, five home runs, 44 RBIs and 47 runs scored.
Libman also started in all 62 games last season either at designated hitter or left field, slashing .299/.421/.376 with 28 RBIs and 43 runs in 234 at-bats.
The lone Redbird pitcher on the All-MVC team, Johnson, appeared in 30 games last season with four starts, compiling a 4-1 record and a 4.69 ERA with three saves. The Kewanee, Ill. native struck out 62 batters in 68.1 innings pitched, including a career-high eight-strikeout performance in 7.1 innings of work in the NCAA Tournament Regional Final against Louisville.
Returning as an All-MVC Honorable Mention selection, Jack Butler appeared in 51 games with 47 starts at first base, slashing .304/.370/.444 with 15 doubles, three home runs, 25 RBIs and 31 runs scored.
Reigning MVC Coach of the Year Steve Holm and company return multiple key players from last season's team that finished 36-26, including five position starters. Despite losing the majority of their starting pitching staff to the MLB draft, the 'Birds also bring back numerous key pitchers from last year's squad.
For all latest on Illinois State baseball, stay tuned at GoRedbirds.com and follow the team at @RedbirdBaseball (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).
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