NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State baseball team will take its season-long four-game winning streak to Valparaiso for a four-game series from April 30 – May 2.
GAME INFORMATION
Illinois State (17-22, 7-5 MVC) at Valparaiso (8-22, 3-9 MVC)
Days/Times (CT):
Friday, April 30, 3:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 1, 12:00 p.m. (7 innings), 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 2, 12:00 p.m.
City: Valparaiso, Indiana
Field: Emory G. Bauer Field
Live Stats: bit.ly/StatsAtValpo
Radio: bit.ly/ValpoRadio
PROJECTED ILLINOIS STATE STARTING PITCHERS
LHP Colton Johnson (2-3, 53 IP, 57 K, 3.06 ERA)
RHP Jordan Lussier (5-2, 48.0 IP, 45 K, 4.12 ERA)
TBD
LHP Sean Sinisko (4-3, 44.2 IP, 37 K, 5.04 ERA)
ONE-HITTER VS SIUE
Illinois State fourth-year junior Jack Anderson threw a one-hitter against SIUE on 4/27, the first seven-inning one-hitter for the Redbirds since Steve Heilenbach one-hit Webster on 5/1/2013. Anderson conceded a single in the 2nd inning and allowed two walks. He induced to double plays to face one above the minimum (faced 22 batters) while striking out four. Fifth-year junior Aidan Huggins blasted a 422-foot home run to left field while fifth-year senior Jordan Libman added two hits and three RBIs. Fifth-year senior Joe Butler had two hits, two RBIs, and two runs scored while fifth-year junior Jeremy Gaines added a 2-RBI 2B to break it open.
SERIES VS EVANSVILLE
Illinois State fell 12-0 in 7 innings before taking the next three games against Evansville. Fourth-year sophomore Jake McCaw was 7-for-13 and second-year Ryan Cermak was 7-for-12 to combine to go 14-for-25 (.560) in the series. Third-year freshman Sean Sinisko fired seven scoreless innings en route to earning his 4th win of 2021 and leading the team to a 3-1 game and series win. Third-year sophomore Derek Salata inherited two runners in the bottom of the 9th but induced a pop-up and fanned two Purple Aces to earn his sixth save of 2021 (T-MVC lead).
SERIES HISTORY
The Redbirds and Valparaiso have met 32 times in a series history with Illinois State leading, 22-9-1. The first game of the series was played in 1969 in the College Division World Series (which the Redbirds won).
SCOUTING VALPO
VU is 8-22 overall and 3-9 in the OMC. Valpo has won three of its last five games, including a series win at SIU and a one-run loss to 8th-ranked Notre Dame in South Bend. VU is 3-1 at home. Kaleb Hannahs (the son of Indiana State head coach Mitch Hannahs) leads Valpo with a .280 batting average. The team is hitting .231. Colin Fields threw a no-hitter for VU earlier this year and is two-time MVC pitcher of the week. Zach Fricke threw 7 scoreless innings against SIU. The team ERA is 6.19 but the pitching staff fans 9.7 batters per 9 innings
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.
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