NASHVILLE, Tenn. – For the first time in 347 days, the Illinois State baseball team will return to the diamond, opening its season on Sunday with a doubleheader against Belmont in Nashville, Tennessee.
DOUBLEHEADER INFORMATION
Illinois State (0-0, 0-0 MVC, 7-9 in 2020) at Belmont (0-0, 0-0 OVC, 14-3 in 2020)
Day: Sunday, February 21
First Pitch: 12 p.m. CT for first game, second game to follow
City: Nashville, Tenn.
Field: E.S. Rose Park
Radio: http://bit.ly/BelmontRadioG1,http://bit.ly/BelmontRadioG2
Live Stats: http://bit.ly/BelmontLSG1,http://bit.ly/BelmontLSG2
TV/Live Stream: None.
Fans: None.
SCOUTING THE BRUINS
Belmont was an impressive 14-3 (top-20 in win percentage in the NCAA) in the 2020 campaign, going 4-0 against MVC opponents while also recording a win against Kansas to open 2020. The team won 13 of its final 14 games and finished the season on an eight-game winning streak..
The Bruins return starting pitcher Joshua South, who was named OVC Preseason Pitcher of the Year for the second-straight year.
Belmont received votes in the final NCBWA top-30 poll of 2020, in addition to votes in the 2021 Collegiate Baseball poll.
SERIES HISTORY
The teams have met 14 times in series history, dating back to 2005. The series is tied at seven wins apiece.
Illinois State will be starting its season at Belmont for the second time in three years and fifth time since 2009.
LAST SERIES
The Redbirds blitzed the Bruins in its most recent series, a three-game Redbird sweep that started the 2019 season. Illinois State won 27-11 (11 innings), 14-3, and 10-6.
The 'Birds came up on the right end of a 16-run 11th inning to put away the first game of 2019. The 16 runs in a single inning were tied for the most of any team in the country in 2019.
REIGNING CHAMPS
The Redbirds are technically reigning champions of the Missouri Valley Conference after splitting the conference title in 2019, ISU's third MVC title (2019, 2013, 2010).
Illinois State was picked to finish second in the MVC behind Dallas Baptist in the preseason poll.
THREE ALL-MVC REDBIRDS
A trio of student-athletes entering their fifth season competing for the Redbirds were named preseason All-MVC in a poll of the league's eight head coaches. Colton Johnson, Joe Butler, and Jordan Libman all received the honor.
For the latest updates on Illinois State Baseball, stay tuned at GoRedbirds.com, follow the Redbirds on Twitter (@RedbirdBaseball) and Instagram (isuredbirdbaseball), and like the team on Facebook (Illinois State Baseball).
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
