NORMAL, Ill. - The Illinois State baseball team is scheduled to host Eastern Illinois on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. CT at Duffy Bass Field, pushed back from the originally scheduled 1:00 p.m. CT due to weather. The Friday and Saturday games were cancelled due to weather.
SCHEDULE (AT ILLINOIS STATE)
Sunday at 3:00 p.m. CT | VIDEO | RADIO | LIVE STATS
ILLINOIS STATE PROJECTED STARTING PITCHER
TO BE ANNOUNCED
ABOUT THE EASTERN ILLINOIS PANTHERS
Eastern Illinois was 33-20 in 2022, going 25-13 on the road. The Panthers are 10-4 to start 2023, highlighted by a win at Arkansas, and have won six-straight. EIU is also scheduled to face common opponents with ISU: Arkansas, Arkansas State, Bradley, SIUE, Lindenwood, Western Illinois, Illinois. The Redbirds and Panthers have met 178 times previously, with EIU leading, 91-87-1. Their first meeting was in 1907.
ISU won the most recent 3/30/2021 match-up, 4-3 in 7 innings. Current fifth-year senior Derek Salata tallied the save despite walking two batters and recording one out. Current sixth-year senior Jared Hart threw a scoreless inning while current fourth-year junior Erik Kubiatowicz allowed two runs while getting two outs. allowed two runs while getting two outs.
HOME-OPENING WIN VS WESTERN ILLINOIS
Illinois State topped Western Illinois on Wednesday, 6-1, despite recording just five hits and posting just one RBI hit (fourth-year junior Greg Nichols double in the 8th inning.). Freshman Thomas Harper threw 5.2 scoreless innings with six strikeouts for his first career win while fourth-year junior Cameron Mabee threw the final 3.1 innings to post his first save of the season. WIU did not score until there were two outs in the 9th.
HOME OPENERS
The Redbirds have won four-straight home openers (won 4-3 in 11 innings to walk-off #19 Purdue in 2022 and end their run as the nation's last remaining unbeaten team). The 'Birds are 15-8 in home openers since 2000.
SERIES LOSS AT NEBRASKA
Illinois State came within 3-2 in the 7th inning on a home run by second-year sophomore Nick Strong but ultimately came away with an 8-3 loss upon the removal of fifth-year senior Derek Salata, who recorded 10 strikeouts over six IP. ISU dropped game two, 12-0
FIVE WITH TWO+ STEALS IN A GAME
Illinois State, which stole 37 bases in 2022 (.725 per game), already has 23 steals through 14 games (1.64 per game) in 2023. Fourth-year junior Shay Kubo, third-year junior Auggie Rasmussen (x2), and second-year sophomores Blake Stenger, Noah Rabin, and JT Sokolove each have a game with multiple steals.
SALATA AND 10+ STRIKEOUTS
• Fifth-year senior Derek Salata has two 10+ K games (2/24 at Arkansas State -12; 3/10 at Nebraska -10). Salata is the 10th Redbird since 2000 to have multiple 10+K games. Eight of the nine were drafted.
-Derek Salata (x2) - 2023; TBD
-Colton Johnson (x2) - 2021;
17th Round to Oakland Athletics
-Brent Headrick (x4) - 2019;
9th Round to Minnesota Twins
-Jacob Hendren (x2) - 2015; undrafted
-Dylan Craig (x3) - 2014;
12th Round to Colorado Rockies
-Dan Savas (x2) - 2014 and 2011;
19th Round to Arizona Diamondbacks
-Jeremy Rhoades (x3) - 2014;
4th Round to Los Angeles Angels
-Corey Maines (x5) - 2011, 2010, 2009;
23rd Round to New York Yankees
-Neal Cotts (x8) - 2001 and 2000;
2nd Round to Oakland Athletics
-Brian Forystek (x3) - 2000;
4th Round to Baltimore Orioles
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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