EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - The Illinois State baseball team, coming off a season-opening series win at Austin Peay, is set for a quick turnaround, heading right back on the road to take on SIUE on Tuesday in the team's first midweek contest of the 2023 season.
SCHEDULE
Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. CT at SIUE | RADIO | LIVE STATS
ILLINOIS STATE PROJECTED STARTING PITCHER
36 - RHP Thomas Harper (1 app, 0.00 ERA, 1 IP, 2 K at Austin Peay on 2/18/23 - freshman from Wauwatosa, Wis.)
ABOUT THE SIUE COUGARS
SIUE (2-1) was 27-28 in 2022, going 17-9 at home. The Cougars are coming off a series win at Incarnate Word to open the 2023 season. SIUE topped ISU on 4/26/2022, 14-7, a game in which Tampa Bay Rays prospect Ryan Cermak smacked his 15th home run of the season, becoming the first Redbird since 2000 with at least 15 home runs in a season.
SIUE is also scheduled to face the MVC's Southern Illinois, Missouri State, Bradley, Evansville, and UIC in 2023. Illinois State holds a 21-9-1 series advantage with the first matchup coming in 1970.
COMEBACK TO WIN THE SERIES
Illinois State trailed, 10-5, after five innings and fell behind Austin Peay, 13-12, through eight innings. The Redbirds then rallied to even the game in the ninth and a Greg Nichols home run in the 10th inning proved to be the game-winner. The Redbirds were 0-26 when trailing after eight innings in 2022 and improved to 1-1 in the same situation in 2023.
EARLY OFFENSE
Illinois State scored in the first inning of all three games at Austin Peay, combining to score eight first-inning runs over the series.
RETURNER HOME RUNS
Illinois State returned just a trio of home runs from its 2022 roster, tied for the fewest in the nation with Kansas. The returnees combined for three home runs in the season-opening series as Greg Nichols, Adrian Flores, and JT Sokolove each went yard.
WELCOME TO BEAN TOWN
Second-year sophomore Noah Rabin reached base at a blistering .600 clip against Austin Peay while going 4-for-9 with a trio of doubles, RBI, and runs scored. Rabin also walked five times and stole two bases.
ELI DALE'S ISU DEBUT
After allowing three runs and surrending the lead in the 7th inning of Sunday's game, third-year junior Elijah Dale settled in nicely, holding APSU scoreless in his final three innings of work Dale was credited with the win and struck out eight.
FLORES' FIRST START AT FIRST BASE
Fourth-year junior Adrian Flores, traditionally a catcher, made his first career start on Sunday at APSU. Flores was 4-6 with his first career HR (gave ISU 11-10 lead), two RBI, and two runs scored.
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