NORMAL, Ill. - The Illinois State baseball team is scheduled to host Illinois on Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. CT at Duffy Bass Field in a rematch of teams that played one week prior in Champaign with the Redbirds coming out with a 12-9 victory.
SCHEDULE (AT ILLINOIS STATE)
Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. CT at Illinois State | RADIO | LIVE STATS
ILLINOIS STATE PROJECTED STARTING PITCHER
TBD
ABOUT THE ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI
Illinois was 31-22 in 2022, going 12-10 on the road. The Fighting Illini are 13-15 in 2023 with a 7-9 mark on the road. Illinois is also scheduled to face common opponents with ISU: Bradley, Indiana State, Southern Illinois, Nebraska, Minnesota, SIUE
The Redbirds and Fighting Illini have met 92 times previously, with Illinois leading, 57-35. Their first meeting was in 1904. Illinois State has won three of the last four but Illinois is 7-3 in the last 10.
AT STAKE FOR THE REDBIRDS VS ILLINI
•First "season sweep" of Illinois since 2010 (didn't sweep six-straight chances - min. 2 games in a year)
•First three-game winning streak vs Illinois since 2002-2005 (won three-straight)
•First three-game winning streak in Normal vs Illinois since 1980-1982 (won three-straight)
WIN VS ILLINOIS IN CHAMPAIGN
Despite falling behind, 3-0, after one inning, Illinois State rallied to beat Illinois, 12-9 in Champaign on Tuesday.
Third-year junior Auggie Rasmussen and fourth-year junior Adrian Flores each hit three-run home runs in the 2nd inning.
Third-year junior Elijah Dale threw two scoreless innings to record the save while freshman Tyrelle Chadwick fired three innings to earn the win.
Freshman Luke Lawrence hit his first career home run while second-year sophomore Noah Rabin had four hits as every Redbird in the starting lineup had at least one hit and either scored or knocked in a run.
The win in Champaign was ISU's first since 2010 (lost 10-straight).
SERIES AT INDIANA STATE
The Redbirds dropped a trio of contests in tight fashion at Indiana State with the Sycamores adding a key run in the 8th inning of all three contests.
Illinois State trailed 1-0 through seven on Friday, led 3-2 through seven on Saturday, and were tied 3-3 through seven on Sunday (after leading 3-2 through four innings.)
10 RUNS ALLOWED BUT SWEPT
Illinois State allowed just 10 runs over three games at Indiana State but fell short in all three contests.
Fewest runs allowed in series losing sweep as D1 program (since 1972, min. three games - 81 losing sweeps in that time)
Team Runs Allowed Year
at Indiana St. 10 (3 games) 2023
at Evansville 14 (3 games) 2022
at Indiana St. 14 (4 games) 1982
vs Milwaukee 16 (3 games) 2016
LINDGREN MAJOR LEAGUE DEBUT
Redbird baseball alum Jeff Lindgren was called up on April 3 and made his MLB debut in relief against the Minnesota Twins. The Champaign, Ill. native threw five innings, allowing four runs. Lindgren's final two innings were scoreless.
MVC PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Fourth-year junior Jayson Hibbard faced the minimum 21 batters, allowing two singles, en route to throwing seven scoreless innings on 73 pitches in 4/2's win vs Missouri State.
NICHOLS WALK-OFF
Fourth-year junior Greg Nichols doubled to open the 9th inning on Sunday against Missouri State before coming home on a double by second-year sophomore Noah Rabin to tie the game at 1-1 in the 9th. Nichols one-hopped the right-center field wall to plate third-year junior Auggie Rasmussen and secure the win in the 10th.
WIN VS #17 IOWA
A key three-run 8th inning propelled the Redbirds past #17 Iowa as fifth-year senior Connor Olson recorded a pinch-hit RBI to put ISU in front in the 8th inning. Fifth-year junior Sean Sinisko (nine K), sixth-year senior Jared Hart (3 IP, 0 R), and Elijah Dale (scoreless 9th) limited Iowa to five hits.
WEATHER ISSUES
ISU has had games against Nebraska (3/12), Eastern Illinois (3/17-19), Minnesota (3/22), and Western Illinois (4/5) cancelled due to weather. Illinois State's schedule is now down to 50 games with room to add six games to reach the maximum of 56. ISU's original schedule featured 55 games.
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).
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Athletic Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
