NORMAL, Ill. - The Illinois State baseball team is scheduled to conclude its 2023 home slate over the weekend as the Redbirds host UIC in a crucial series as both teams are vying to finish in the top-eight of the Missouri Valley Conference standings in order to qualify for the MVC Tournament.
The Saturday game was pushed up to 1:00 p.m. CT and the Sunday game, which will also be the team's Senior Day, was moved up to 12:00 p.m. CT.
SCHEDULE (AT ILLINOIS STATE'S DUFFY BASS FIELD)
Friday at 5:00 p.m. CT | VIDEO | RADIO | LIVE STATS
Saturday at 1:00 p.m. CT | RADIO | LIVE STATS
Sunday at 12:00 p.m. CT | RADIO| LIVE STATS
ILLINOIS STATE PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS
Friday: RHP Cameron Mabee (5.26 ERA in 51.1 IP with 30 K over 13 appearances with seven starts)
Saturday: RHP Jayson Hibbard (4.58 ERA in 55 IP with 29 K over 14 appearances with eight starts)
Sunday: RHP Derek Salata (4.28 ERA in 61 IP with 76 K over 11 starts)
ABOUT THE UIC FLAMES
UIC was 22-25 in 2022, going 14-15 on the road. The Flames are 23-21 in 2023. UIC is 10-12 on the road. Common non-conference opponents for the two schools are Iowa, Milwaukee, Western Illinois, Northern Illinois
UIC has won four-straight games. UIC improved to 5-1 against the B1G with a 7-3 win over Purdue on Wednesday. UIC has won eight of 10 overall and six of its last seven in the MVC.
WIN VS EVANSVILLE
Second-year sophomore JT Sokolove broke a 2-2 tie in the 6th inning with a 382-foot home run just inside the left field foul pole - postgame, JT said it was his brother's birthday.
Fifth-year senior Derek Salata threw seven innings with seven strikeouts.
LOSS AT IOWA
ISU trailed 5-4 after 4 1/2 innings in Iowa City but was unable to beat Iowa for the fifth-straight time.
Third-year junior Auggie Rasmussen and freshman Shai Robinson each reached base three times as Rasmussen had three singles and Robinson had a walk and two doubles.
SERIES WIN AT SIU
Although ISU was run-ruled in the opening game and trailing after six innings on both Saturday and Sunday, ISU rallied to win the series at SIU.
Third-year junior Elijah Dale stranded runners on second and third in Saturday's game while the Redbirds scored in the 10th, 11th , and 12th innings in Sunday's game to win.
Third-year junior Luke Cheng and second-year sophomore Noah Rabin each hit their first career HR while freshman Daniel Pacella hit his 13th.
WIN VS NIU
Despite having only thrown a third of an inning with a 54.00 ERA entering the game, fourth-year sophomore Zach Holcomb threw four scoreless innings in relief, striking out six and allowing a bloop single and HBP.
Freshman Daniel Pacella hit his 12th HR of the year while freshman Shai Robinson reached base four times and fourth-year junior Shaydon Kubo had three hits.
WIN VS LINDENWOOD
Third-year junior Auggie Rasmussen hit two home runs, freshman Shai Robinson had four hits, and freshman Daniel Pacella had three hits to lead Illinois State to the win in the first meeting between the programs.
STEWART RETURN TO MLB
Redbird baseball alum Brock Stewart was called up on April 25 for the Minnesota Twins - he had last pitched in the MLB with Toronto on 9/24/19 but completed the road back to Big Leagues after Tommy John surgery. Stewart threw two scoreless innings with three strikeouts on April 27 against Kansas City. Through May 11, Stewart has thrown seven times, all results in scoreless appearances.
HEADRICK MLB DEBUT
Redbird baseball alum Brent Headrick was called up on April 16 for the Minnesota Twins and made his MLB debut on Wednesday at Boston. Headrick was perfect in his first two innings in relief, highlighted by a strikeout of Silver Slugger Rafael Devers, and ultimately completed three innings to record the save in his first Big League appearance. Headrick also threw five innings on April 26 with eight strikeouts against the Yankees, including one against Aaron Judge.
LINDGREN MAJOR LEAGUE DEBUT
Redbird baseball alum Jeff Lindgren was called up on April 3 for the Miami Marlins 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.
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