McLean County Times

Illinois State University's baseball team is set to face the University of Evansville in a three-game series from April 12-14. The games will be held in Evansville, Indiana, with each game available for viewing on ESPN+.

Evansville's Purple Aces ended their 2023 season with a record of 37-24 and are currently 15-17 in the 2024 season. Illinois State leads the historical matchup against Evansville with a record of 71-59-1 since their first meeting in 1948. In their last encounter in May 2023, Illinois State secured a victory over Evansville with significant contributions from Derek Salata and JT Sokolove.

Junior pitcher Tanner Perry was instrumental in Illinois State's recent sweep against Valparaiso, delivering six scoreless innings and earning MVC Pitcher of the Week honors for his performance on April 7.

The Redbirds achieved back-to-back series sweeps for the first time since April 2019 after defeating Valparaiso at home. Their pitching staff maintained an impressive ERA of 0.72 during this series.

Sophomore Daniel Pacella stood out with two home runs and eight RBIs during the Missouri State series finale on March 31. His performance marked him as the first Redbird to hit two home runs in a game since Auggie Rasmussen did so earlier this year.

Weather-related cancellations have affected several of Illinois State's scheduled games this season, reducing their schedule to 53 games. The team still has room to add up to three more games.

For further updates on Illinois State Baseball, fans can visit GoRedbirds.com or follow them on social media platforms including Twitter and Instagram.