McLean County Times

The Illinois State baseball team is set to continue its five-game road trip with a three-game series against Murray State from April 26-28. The Redbirds will play at Murray State, with games scheduled for Friday at 5 p.m. CT, Saturday at 2 p.m. CT, and Sunday at 1 p.m. CT. All games will be available on ESPN+ with live stats.

Illinois State's projected starting pitchers for the series include Cameron Mabee on Friday, Tyrelle Chadwick on Saturday, and Tanner Perry on Sunday.

Murray State currently holds a record of 24-16 overall and 7-8 in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC). Last year, they finished with a record of 31-28. In their most recent matchups, they experienced a series loss to UIC but secured a midweek victory over Bellarmine.

Historically, Murray State leads the series against Illinois State 7-5 since their first meeting in 2003. Their latest encounter saw Murray State win 8-6 in April 2023.

Sophomore Daniel Pacella of Illinois State has been making significant contributions to his team. He recently hit a walk-off home run against Indiana State on April 19, securing a win for the Redbirds and marking their first series victory over the Sycamores since April 2022.

Pacella also achieved two home runs in one game during the series finale against Missouri State on March 31. His performance has been noteworthy as he stands second in the MVC with 47 RBIs this season.

Since 2004, there have been multiple instances where Illinois State players have hit two home runs in a single game. Auggie Rasmussen is among those who have achieved this feat more than once.

Weather-related issues have led to cancellations of several Illinois State games this season against teams like Saint Louis and Iowa. As it stands, their schedule consists of 53 games with room for three additional matches.

For updates on Illinois State Baseball, fans are encouraged to visit GoRedbirds.com or follow the team on social media platforms including Twitter (@RedbirdBaseball) and Instagram (isuredbirdbaseball).