NORMAL and EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Coming off their first MVC series win of the season, Illinois State baseball returns home to kickstart a five-game week on Tuesday.
The Redbirds are scheduled to host Iowa at Duffy Bass Field prior to traveling to Edwardsville to face SIUE Wednesday.
SCHEDULE (AT ILLINOIS STATE, AT SIUE)
Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. CT (vs Iowa) |Â ESPN+ |Â STATS |Â RADIO
Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. CT (at SIUE) |Â ESPN+
ABOUT THE IOWA HAWKEYES
Iowa is 14-8 in 2025, winning their last six games, and are 4-3 on the road this season. The Hawkeyes enter Tuesday after sweeping Ohio State by scores of 12-0, 12-5, 18-2 last weekend.
The Redbirds and Iowa have met 24 times previously, with Illinois State leading, 14-10. Their first meeting was in 1975.
Iowa took last season's meeting thanks to six runs across the 6th and 7th innings for a 8-7 win in Iowa City.
ABOUT THE SIUE COUGARS
SIUE is 10-12 in 2025, winning their last four games, and are 4-5 at home this season. The Cougars welcome ILS after sweeping Morehead State in their OVC opening weekend by scores of 12-6, 4-1, 10-7 last weekend.
The Redbirds and SIUE have met 34 times previously, with Illinois State leading, 22-11-1. Their first meeting was in 1970.
SIUE took the first meeting this season on March 18 as the Cougars came back to score nine unanswered runs and leave Duffy Bass Field with a 14-12 extra-inning victory.
BAKES GOES YARD (x3)
Freshman Brayden Bakes recorded a three-homer, six RBI performance in the series finale on the road at Belmont on March 23.
With his blasts, Bakes becomes the first Redbird to hit three home runs in a game since Ryan Cermak did so at Western Illinois in April 2022.
His six RBIs also marked the first time a Redbird has reached that mark since teammate Judah Morris last May versus Belmont.
FIRST VALLEY SERIES OF 2025Â
Illinois State secured their first MVC series win, defeating Belmont in two of three games last weekend.
Nine players had hits, led by Bakes and junior Daniel Pacella, who totaled five hits apiece.
PRESEASON MVC HONORS
A year after finishing with their most conference wins since 2013, the Illinois State baseball team was selected to finish fourth in the annual Preseason MVC Coaches' Poll.
The Redbirds also landed three players on the MVC Preseason All-Conference Team, tied for the most of any school in the conference.
Seniors Judah Morris and Kyle Gibson join junior Daniel Pacella on the squad.
ILLINOIS STATE TO HOST MVC TOURNAMENT
The 2025 Missouri Valley Conference Championships will take place from Duffy Bass Field in Normal, Illinois.Â
The eight-team tournament opens on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, and is scheduled to run through Saturday, May 24, 2025.
This is the first time Illinois State will host the MVC Championships since 2019.Â
ON DECK
Following their midweek games, Illinois State returns to Duffy Bass Field and will host Murray State for a three-game MVC series from Friday-Sunday.
For the latest updates on Illinois State Baseball, stay tuned at GoRedbirds.com, follow the Redbirds on X (@RedbirdBaseball) and Instagram (isuredbirdbaseball), and like the team on Facebook (Illinois State Baseball).
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App:Â Â Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Athletic Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
