McLean County Times

Illinois State University's baseball team is gearing up for a Missouri Valley Conference series against Southern Illinois, set for April 25-27. The Redbirds have been successful against the Salukis, winning seven of their last ten encounters.

Southern Illinois stands with a record of 28-12 overall, 10-5 in conference play, and 17-6 at home this season. Their most recent game was a 12-6 victory against SEMO on April 22. Historically, Illinois State holds a lead in the series, having won 104 of the 201 games played since their first matchup in 1948. Last season, Illinois State swept Southern Illinois in Normal, outscoring them 27-6 over the weekend.

Key contributor for the Redbirds, junior Daniel Pacella, has amassed a team-high 47 RBIs this year, bringing his career total to 164, which is the third-highest in program history. Pacella is also tied with Frank Mustari for second all-time in career home runs with 41. Senior pitcher Joe Husak recently achieved his 11th career save, placing him third all-time in Illinois State history.

Head coach Steve Holm secured his 150th career win on April 5 after an 18-3 victory against Valparaiso, making him the sixth coach in program history to reach this milestone.

As of April 24, Illinois State ranks second in team batting average and third in both team ERA and fielding percentage within the Missouri Valley Conference. Daniel Pacella holds the top spot in the conference for multiple categories, including batting average, slugging percentage, OPS, and hits.

The upcoming MVC Championships will be hosted by Illinois State from May 20-24 at Duffy Bass Field in Normal, Illinois, marking the first time they will host since 2019. Tickets for the event are available for purchase at goredbirds.com/tickets.

###