McLean County Times

Illinois State University is preparing for their upcoming three-game baseball series against Bradley University this weekend. The games will all take place at Duffy Bass Field due to expected rain and scheduling conflicts. The amended schedule places the games on Friday at 3 PM, and on Saturday at 1 PM and 4 PM.

The Bradley Braves have had a challenging season thus far, with a 5-27 record overall, including a 1-11 mark in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), and have struggled on the road with a 7-17 record. Historically, Illinois State leads the series against Bradley 121-116, with their first matchup dating back to 1901. In their last meeting in 2024, Illinois State managed to avoid a sweep with a win in the series finale.

Illinois State's Daniel Pacella has been achieving personal milestones, recording his 150th career RBI in a recent win over Illinois. He is currently fourth in program history with 155 RBIs and is also third in career home runs with 38. On the pitcher's mound, senior Joe Husak has tied for third in program history with 11 saves.

The team, led by head coach Steve Holm, celebrated their coach's 150th career win on April 5 against Valparaiso, where multiple players contributed significantly to the victory. As a team, Illinois State ranks second in the MVC with a batting average of .306, fourth in ERA with 6.01, and third in fielding percentage at .975. Pacella also leads the MVC individually in batting average, slugging percentage, and OPS.

Looking ahead, Illinois State will host the 2025 Missouri Valley Conference Championships at Duffy Bass Field from May 20-24, 2025, marking the first time since 2019 that the school has hosted the event. Following this weekend's series, Illinois State is set to face Northern Illinois on April 23.

For updates on Illinois State baseball, information is available on their website and social media platforms.