NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State will host in-state foe Illinois Tuesday in midweek action at Duffy Bass Field. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.

Illinois State (14-16, 6-3 MVC) returns to action after going 2-1 in a weekend series at Valparaiso. The Redbirds secured the series with an 18-3 run-rule victory on Saturday after taking a 2-1 pitcher's duel last Friday.

Illinois (18-11, 7-5 Big Ten) swept Maryland over the weekend, and the Fighting Illini have won seven of their last 10 contests.

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ABOUT THE FIGHTING ILLINI

Illinois is 18-11 in 2025, 7-5 in Big Ten play, and 5-4 on the road in 2025. The Fighting Illini enter the midweek with a sweep of Maryland last weekend after defeating the Redbirds on Tuesday.

The Redbirds and Illini have met 95 times before, dating back to 1939, as Illinois leads the series, 60-35.

In the first meeting this year (April 1), Illinois State finished with seven hits and two runs as the Redbirds fell to host Illinois at Illinois Field, 8-2.

WIN NO. 150

Illinois State head coach Steve Holm picked up career win no. 150 on April 5 as part of a 18-3 win over Valparaiso.

Junior Daniel Pacella led the Redbird bats, going 2-for-4 on the day with five RBIs and a home run.

The Redbirds also saw multiple hits from senior Kyle Gibson, freshman Brayden Bakes, senior Daniel Contreras, and senior Noah Smith. Senior Carter Monke threw three scoreless innings in relief, conceding only four hits to the Beacons.

LEADING THE WAY

As of April 7, junior Daniel Pacella leads the Missouri Valley Conference in the following categories: batting average (.390), slugging percentage (.763), hits (46), OPS (1.228), and sacrifice flies (4).

Pacella also sits tied for second in home runs, alongside Judah Morris, with 10 in 2025.

Meanwhile, Morris has the second highest on-base percentage in the Valley at .486 while also drawing the second most walks with 29. Finally, Kyle Gibson holds the second-most at-bats this season among Valley athletes with 128.

BAKES. BAKES. BAKES

Freshman Brayden Bakes recorded a three-homer, six RBI performance in the series finale on the road at Belmont on March 23.

With his blasts, Bakes becomes the first Redbird to hit three home runs in a game since Ryan Cermak did so at Western Illinois in April 2022.

His six RBIs also marked the first time a Redbird has reached that mark since teammate Judah Morris last May versus Belmont.

ILLINOIS STATE TO HOST MVC TOURNAMENT

The 2025 Missouri Valley Conference Championships will take place from Duffy Bass Field in Normal, Illinois. 

The eight-team tournament opens on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, and is scheduled to run through Saturday, May 24, 2025.

This is the first time Illinois State will host the MVC Championships since 2019. 

ON DECK

Following the midweek, ISU welcomes Evansville to Normal for a three-game set on April 11-13 at Duffy Bass Field.

For the latest updates on Illinois State Baseball, stay tuned at GoRedbirds.com, follow the Redbirds on X (@RedbirdBaseball) and Instagram (isuredbirdbaseball), and like the team on Facebook (Illinois State Baseball).

GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App:  Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Athletic Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.