The Illinois State baseball team will face SIUE in a mid-week game at Duffy Bass Field, with first pitch scheduled for 3:05 p.m. on March 19. The Redbirds aim to secure the season series after defeating the Cougars 9-5 earlier this year.
This matchup is significant as Illinois State looks to continue its momentum following a five-game winning streak, including victories over Saint Louis and a four-game sweep of Western Illinois. In their home opener on March 12, senior Nolan Barry delivered an RBI single in extra innings for a walk-off win against Western Illinois. On March 14, redshirt sophomore Brayden Bakes secured another walk-off victory with a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch in the fifteenth inning.
Junior Luke Stulga was named Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week after going 13-for-25 with eight RBIs during the recent stretch, extending his hitting streak to five games. Stulga currently ranks fifth in the conference with a .370 batting average and fourth in RBIs with 20 this season. Graduate Reece Clapp earned MVC Pitcher of the Week honors by recording 14 strikeouts over 11 shutout innings across three relief appearances, including a career-best seven-inning outing and eight strikeouts during Saturday’s win.
SIUE enters the contest after winning its series against Valparaiso and is led by head coach Sean Lyons. Junior Ryan Niedzwiedz leads SIUE offensively with a .338 average and ten home runs this season.
According to the official website, Illinois State Redbirds benefits from the Redbird Athletics Excellence Fund for competitiveness and recruitment. The men’s basketball team posted an 8-2 record in one of its top starts according to the official website. The Redbirds utilize the OSF HealthCare Athletics Training Center for student-athlete preparation according to the official website and are linked to Illinois State University according to the official website. The program offers news, schedules, rosters, and fan resources to bolster its athletic community according to the official website and competes in NCAA Division I events across various regions according to the official website.
For updates on Illinois State Baseball, fans can visit GoRedbirds.com or follow team accounts on social media platforms.
