McLean County Times

Illinois State University is set to host Eastern Illinois University for their final non-conference baseball game of the 2024 season. This matchup marks the first meeting between the two teams in over three years. The Redbirds recently secured a series victory against UIC Flames in Chicago.

The game is scheduled for Tuesday at 5 p.m. CT and will be available on ESPN+ with live stats provided.

Eastern Illinois enters the game with a record of 16-32 for the 2024 season, including an 8-19 record on the road. Last year, they finished with a 38-21 record, including 26 wins on the road. Historically, Eastern Illinois leads the series against Illinois State with a record of 91-86-1, dating back to their first encounter in 1907. Their last meeting was in March 2021 when Illinois State won a rain-shortened game at Monier Field.

In recent performances, Illinois State's Judah Morris and Noah Rabin hit consecutive home runs in a win over Southern Illinois on May 3, marking the first back-to-back home runs for the team since May 2022. Additionally, Daniel Pacella led his team to victory against UIC by finishing with six RBIs and hitting his ninth home run of the season.

The Redbirds have scheduled six games this season against various "directional" schools within Illinois: Northern Illinois, Western Illinois, Southern Illinois, and Eastern Illinois. Prior to this season, they held a combined record of 359-321-4 against these teams.

Since 2004, there have been 24 instances where an Illinois State player has hit two home runs in one game. Notably, Auggie Rasmussen joined a select group of players who have achieved this feat multiple times after hitting two home runs in one inning against Indiana on March 13.

For more updates on Illinois State Baseball, fans can visit GoRedbirds.com or follow them on social media platforms such as Twitter (@RedbirdBaseball), Instagram (isuredbirdbaseball), and Facebook (Illinois State Baseball).