EDWARDSVILLE and NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State baseball is set to travel to SIUE on Tuesday before hosting Indiana on Wednesday. Neither game has a scheduled TV broadcast, but radio coverage is expected.
GAME INFORMATION (SIUE)
Illinois State (15-19, 3-6 MVC; 186th in RPI) at SIUE (18-18, 6-6 OVC; 149th in RPI)
Day/Time (CT):
Tuesday, April 26; 5:00 p.m. CT
City: Edwardsville, Ill.
Field: Roy E. Field
Radio: http://streaming.siue.edu:8000/cougarsports
Live Stats: bit.ly/RedbirdStats
GAME INFORMATION (INDIANA)
Illinois State (15-19, 3-6 MVC; 186th in RPI) vs Indiana (16-23, 4-8 B1G; 135th in RPI)
Day/Time (CT):
Wednesday, April 27; 5:00 p.m. CT
City: Normal, Ill.
Field: Duffy Bass Field
Radio: https://wznd.com/
Live Stats: bit.ly/RedbirdStats
PROJECTED ILLINOIS STATE STARTING PITCHERS
TBA at SIUE
TBA vs IU
SERIES HISTORY + ABOUT THE COUGARS AND THE HOOSIERS
SIUE is 18-18 on the year, with a 13-5 home record and 5-13 record in away games. Common opponents for SIUE and Illinois State include Saint Louis, Southern Illinois, Western Illinois, Evansville, Bradley, UT-Martin and Murray State. Illinois State holds a 21-8-1 advantage in the series with the Cougars. Their first meeting was back in 1970. Jack Anderson tossed a seven-inning one-hitter as the 'Birds won, 12-0. Illinois State won all three meetings against SIUE in 2021
Indiana is 16-23 on the year, with a 10-7 home record and 5-14 record in away games. Common opponents for Indiana and Illinois State in 2022 include Arkansas, Indiana State, Missouri State, Evansville, Purdue, Illinois, and Iowa. The all-time series is tied a 3-3 with the first meeting coming in 2000. Illinois State opened the 2019 NCAA Tournament with an 8-7 victory over the Hoosiers. ISU went on to reach the program's first Regional final.
STREAKS SNAPPED
Jake McCaw had his 23-game on-base streak snapped on 4/22, tying Ryan Cermak's 2021 team-high. Connor Olson had his 18-game on-base streak snapped on 4/23. Current assistant coach Derek Parola had a 33-game on-base streak in 2019.
BRADLEY SERIES
Illinois State took the middle game of the series after falling in a tight Friday contest. The Redbirds nearly stole game three, trailing by just a run heading into the 9th. McCaw blasted a key two-run home run in game two.
WEATHER ISSUES
Illinois State has had five games canceled due to weather in 2022, including 3/29 vs Iowa and 3/30 vs Eastern Illinois.
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.
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