The Illinois State baseball team is preparing to face Evansville in the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. The game will take place on Wednesday at Charles H. Braun Stadium in Evansville, Indiana, starting at 9:00 a.m. CT. Fans can watch the match live on ESPN+ and follow live stats online.
Illinois State enters the tournament as the fourth seed with a record of 28-25 overall and 16-11 in conference play. This marks their fourth appearance under head coach Steve Holm since 2019. The last time Illinois State was a top-four seed was also in 2019 when they were second.
In previous tournaments, Illinois State faced Evansville during the first round of the 2021 MVC Tournament, securing a narrow victory with a score of 10-9.
Ahead of this year's tournament, five players from Illinois State received honors. Sophomore Daniel Pacella earned First-Team All-MVC recognition, while redshirt junior Judah Morris, senior Auggie Rasmussen, and junior Joe Husak received Honorable Mention All-MVC honors. Additionally, senior Cameron Mabee and junior JT Sokolove were named to the All-MVC Defensive Team.
Historically, Illinois State leads the series against Evansville with a record of 71-62-1 since their first encounter in 1948. In their most recent meeting in April 2024, Evansville swept the series with a decisive win in the final game.
Evansville holds an overall record of 31-23 for this season and has been strong at home with a record of 16-8. They are led by Freshman of the Year Kenton Deverman and First Team honoree Mark Shallenberger. The Purple Aces have excelled offensively throughout the season and are hosting the MVC Tournament for the first time since 1998.
For further updates on Illinois State Baseball activities or events, fans can visit GoRedbirds.com or follow their social media accounts across various platforms.
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