CHAMPAIGN AND MACOMB, Ill. - The Illinois State baseball team is scheduled to play at Illinois on Tuesday before a rematch at Western Illinois on Wednesday.
SCHEDULE (AT ILLINOIS, AT WESTERN ILLINOIS)
Tuesday at 6:05 p.m. CT at Illinois | VIDEO | LIVE STATS
Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. CT at Western Illinois (no links currently available)
ILLINOIS STATE PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS
Tuesday: LHP Sean Sinisko (11.68 ERA, 18 K in 12.1 IP over four appearances, three starts)
-Expected to be against Normal native Jake Swartz
Wednesday: TBD
ABOUT THE ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI
Illinois was 31-22 in 2022, going 16-4 at home. The Fighting Illini are 12-12 in 2023 with a 2-3 mark at home. Illinois is also scheduled to face common opponents with ISU: Bradley, Indiana State, Southern Illinois, Nebraska, Minnesota, and SIUE. The Redbirds and Fighting Illini have met 91 times previously, with Illlinois leading, 57-34. Their first meeting was in 1904.
Illinois State has won two of the last three, but Illinois is 7-3 in the last 10. ISU dropped the most recent 4/12/2022 meeting to split the season series, despite scoring four runs in the opening frame. The 'Birds took down Illinois, 10-1, on 4/5/2022.
ABOUT THE WESTERN ILLINOIS LEATHERNECKS
Western Illinois was 8-44 in 2022, going 6-31 on the road. The Leathernecks are 3-20 to start 2023, coming off a series victory at the MVC's Belmont. WIU is also scheduled to face common opponents with ISU: SIUE, Belmont, Southern Illinois, UIC, Eastern Illinois.
The Redbirds and Leathernecks have met 167 times previously, with ISU leading, 90-76-1. Their first meeting was in 1925. Illinois State won, 6-1, in Normal on 3/15/2023. The 3/15/23 game was ISU's home opener while the 4/5/23 game is Western Illinois home opener.
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 Sunday'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), and Minnesota (3/22) cancelled due to weather. Illinois State's schedule is now down to 51 games with room to add five games to reach the maximum of 56. ISU's original schedule featured 55 games.
THREE STEALS APIECE
Third-year junior Auggie Rasmussen and second-year sophomore JT Sokolove each had three steals in 3/28's 11-7 win at Belmont. The 'Birds went 443 games without having a player steal three bases in a game (Sean Beesley, 4/10/14 vs Robert Morris). Seven steals (plus one from 2-YR SO Blake Stenger) are the most by ISU since 2017 vs SIU (also seven).
Rasmussen leads the MVC in steals with 11 while the Redbirds also lead the league with 38 stolen bases, surpassing their 2022 total of 37.
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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