NORMAL, Ill. - Illinois State baseball has announced its 2024 schedule with play set to begin on Friday, February 16th in Port Charlotte, Florida. The 56-game regular season, spanning the course of four months, features five non-conference weekends, six Big Ten opponents, and 13 midweek matchups.
ISU begins its season on the weekend of February 16th with contests against St. Thomas and Saint Louis in Port Charlotte at the Snowbird Classic. The Redbirds' first five weekends will also take the team to Arkansas and Tennessee for weekend series against Little Rock, Arkansas Pine-Bluff, Vanderbilt, and UT-Martin.
ISU's assigned MVC opponents this season include home series with I-74 rival Bradley, Valparaiso, defending champion and 2023 Super Regional team Indiana State, Southern Illinois, and Belmont.
The Redbirds will head to Missouri State, Evansville, Murray State, and UIC as part of the conference schedule.
Contests at the Big Ten's Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, and Northwestern highlight a collection of 13 midweek matchups for the 'Birds. Also, for the first time in series history, Illinois State and Lindenwood will meet in Saint Charles on April 16th.
The 2024 MVC Tournament is scheduled for May 21-25 with eight of the conference's 10 teams qualifying for the double-elimination tournament. Host Evansville is not guaranteed a spot in the field.
*All opponents, dates, times, and locations are subject to change
SCHEDULE NOTES
- Illinois State is 884-865-7 (.503) all-time in their combined series history against their 2024 scheduled opponents.
- Five of ISU's 2024 opponents made appearances in the 2023 NCAA Tournament (Vanderbilt, Indiana, Iowa, Indiana State, and Eastern Illinois).
- Illinois State opens the season with 16 games away from home, the most to begin a full season since 2018 when the 'Birds opened the year with 18 games on the road.
- Illinois State's MVC foes had a combined 287-266 (.519) record in 2023.
- Illinois State is scheduled to play St. Thomas and Arkansas Pine-Bluff for the first time in program history.
- Illinois State returns to Nashville to play Vanderbilt for the first time since 2019, when ISU defeated the Commodores in the series finale, 7-3.
2023 SEASON SUMMARY
Illinois State was 20-30 overall (9-18 MVC) in 2023 in a season that saw two Redbird pitchers get selected in the 2023 MLB Draft as Elijah Dale was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 13th round while Derek Salata would be selected in the 19th round by the Oakland Athletics.
The 2023 season also saw Daniel Pacella gain national attention as he was named a Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper following a season where he hit .307 with 16 home runs and 56 RBIs en route to being named Honorable Mention All-MVC. Pacella played in all 50 games, making 49 starts. Pacella had a pair of two-homer games to go with two grand slams. Pacella broke the freshman RBIs record (56) set by Frank Mustari in 1985 and tied Mustari's freshman record home run record (16).
Pacella is the third Redbird to be recognized by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper as a Freshman All-American and the first since Ryan Cermak in 2021, in addition to being the seventh Redbird to be named a Freshman All-American.
On the diamond in 2023, Illinois State picked up a pair of Big Ten wins, defeating then-no. 17 Iowa (5-3) at home as well as securing a road win at Illinois.
WHO'S BACK? (2024 ROSTER)
The 'Birds will return a veteran pitching presence in seniors Erik Kubiatowicz, Cameron Mabee, and Jordan Lussier. The Redbirds also see sophomores Thomas Harper and Tyrelle Chadwick as well as junior Ryan Weaver return with a combined 40 appearances last season.
Senior Auggie Rasmussen and sophomore Daniel Pacella lead the returning position players after breakout campaigns in 2023. Seniors Luke Cheng, Greg Nichols, and Shaydon Kubo are among the other returning position players for ISU.
WHO'S NEW (TRANSFERS)?
Juniors Noah Smith (Louisville), Braden Roesch (Illinois-Springfield), and Tanner Perry (Southern Illinois) highlight the Redbirds' group of transfer newcomers while a trio of Parkland transfers in Tresdon Rybarczyk, Carter Monke, and Tyler Herron are also expected to play significant roles, among others.
WHO'S NEW (FRESHMEN)?
The Redbirds welcomed eight new 'Birds to the 2024 squad. The 2024 freshman class is Luke Stulga, Tugg Hollandsworth, Eddie Letamendi, Matthew Donnison, Lawson Minshew, Jack Finn, Colin Miller, and Jesse Courtney.
WHO'S GONE?
Oakland Athletics 19th-round pick Derek Salata and Seattle Mariners 13th-round pick Elijah Dale headline the group that the Redbirds seek to replace for 2024. The 'Birds will also look to replace the talents of Dylan Swarmer, who made 26 starts for the 'Birds, along with Kolton Scherbenske, Justin Foy, Jared Hart, Connor Olson, Sean Sinisko, and Jayson Hibbard.
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