FRANKLIN, Wis. – Illinois State will head to Milwaukee for the second-straight season as the teams are set to meet Tuesday at Franklin Field. The game is scheduled to be broadcasted on ESPN+.
GAME INFORMATION
Illinois State (13-17, 2-4 MVC; 163rd in RPI) at Milwaukee (12-16, 3-7 Horizon; 239th in RPI)
Day/Time (CT):
Tuesday, April 19; 4:00 p.m. CT
City: Franklin, Wis.
Field: Franklin Field
ESPN+: https://www.espn.com/espnplus/player/_/id/daf25748-0ea9-42a5-b2f4-4c6b556cb32e
Radio: https://mixlr.com/mke-panthers/
Live Stats: bit.ly/RedbirdStats
PROJECTED ILLINOIS STATE STARTING PITCHER
TBA
ABOUT THE PANTHERS + SERIES HISTORY + LAST MEETING
Milwaukee went 22-33 in 2021, going 12-12 at home. Milwaukee is 12-16 with a 4-6 record at home in 2022, coming off a series loss to Youngstown State. Common opponents for Milwaukee and Illinois State in 2022 include UIC, Valparaiso, Iowa, and St. Thomas. Illinois State holds a 25-9 advantage in the series as the first game between the two teams was in 1965.
After dropping three-straight earlier in the series to the Panthers, Illinois State took the final game of the series, 10-2.
OWEN MILLER IN THE MLB
Redbird baseball alum Owen Miller is making a splash in the MLB for the Cleveland Guardians. Entering 4/18, Miller leads the MLB in average (.500) and doubles (7) and is second in OPS (1.510) and SLG (.964).
CER-SMACK: NATIONAL POW x4 (QUICK HITS ON RYAN CERMAK'S WEEK - 4/11)
- Named National Player of the Week from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, Perfect Game, D1Baseball, and NCBWA
- 11-for-21 (.524)
- .600 OBP
- five home runs, two doubles
- home runs in four-straight plate appearances (hit 470-foot home run for fourth-straight home run)
- three home run game on 4/6 with grand slams in back-to-back innings
- 14 RBIs; broke a 37-year old school RBI record on 4/6 (10 now - was nine by Mike Prior in 1985)
- nine runs scored; tied the school record for runs scored in a game on 4/6 (five - most recent was Brett Kay in 2012)
- recorded 100th career hit via home run on 4/10
- scaled the center-field wall and appeared to have taken away a home run on 4/10
- celebrated the honors by lining a HR over the LF wall to lead off 4/12's game at Illinois
VALPARAISO SERIES
Illinois State dropped the series to Valparaiso, despite winning the first game. The 'Birds controlled all aspects of game one, throwing a three-hit shutout of the Beacons. Valparaiso blitzed the 'Birds in game two, winning, 10-2. Illinois State could not quite get over the hump in game three, falling in a tight 2-1 decision.
NEW FRIDAY NIGHT GUY
Illinois State rolled out bullpen ace fifth-year junior Jared Hart on Friday, making his first start of 2022. Hart took a no-hitter into the 6th inning, finishing with six scoreless innings, one hit, and an HBP on just 65 pitches. Hart was MVC Pitcher of the Week in the first week of the season.
TOP-2 TAKEDOWN
Illinois State took down second-ranked Arkansas to open the 2022 campaign by a 3-2 score. Arkansas had not previously lost a home or season opener since 1994. The 11 runs the Razorbacks scored were tied for the fewest plated by an SEC team and tied for the third-fewest scored by a top-25 (D1Baseball top-25).
The 'Birds were competitive all series, outhitting the Razorbacks in game two and trailing by a run in the 8th inning of game three.
Illinois State is no stranger to the national stage, upending #1 Vanderbilt and #7 Louisville in 2019 as the team made the program's first NCAA Regional final. Likewise, ISU is no stranger to success in Fayetteville as the 2020 team knocked off the 13th-ranked Razorbacks, 8-7.
TOUGH TESTS IN 2022
Illinois State is scheduled to play six games against preseason ranked opponents (three at No. 2 Arkansas, three vs No. 22 Dallas Baptist). Purdue has also exceeded expectations in 2022, earning a No. 19 ranking from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and was bumped up to 17th after taking two-of-three from ISU. Illinois State is also scheduled to play a program-record 16 games against Power Five schools, including 10 contests against the Big Ten. 2022 marks the first time ISU has opened against a Power Five since 2004 (win at Louisville). 2022 marks the first time ISU has ever opened against a ranked opponent.
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).
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