The Illinois State baseball team will travel to Murray, Kentucky, for a three-game Missouri Valley Conference series against Murray State beginning Friday, April 17. The games are scheduled at Johnny Reagan Field, with the first pitch on Friday at 5:00 p.m., followed by contests on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Both weekend games will be available for viewing on ESPN+.
This matchup is significant as both teams look to improve their standings in conference play. Illinois State heads into the series after its midweek game against Northern Illinois was canceled due to potential severe weather in Normal. The Redbirds most recently suffered a series defeat to Indiana State but saw senior Josh Outlaw deliver his first three-hit performance of the season in the finale.
Murray State enters the weekend following a 12-1 loss to Southeast Missouri and was swept by University of Illinois Chicago in its last conference action. Head coach Dan Skirka leads the Racers after guiding them to their first College World Series appearance last year. Senior infielder Luke Mistone currently leads Murray State’s offense with a .335 batting average and has driven in 37 runs this season, including nine RBIs during a win over Kentucky State on March 10.
Historically, Murray State holds a slight edge over Illinois State with a 10-8 advantage in all-time meetings; however, the Redbirds won two out of three games last season and were one of only three teams to claim a series victory over Murray State that year.
Illinois State Redbirds benefit from resources such as the Redbird Athletics Excellence Fund aimed at supporting competitiveness and recruitment according to the official website. The athletics program also utilizes facilities like the OSF HealthCare Athletics Training Center for student-athlete preparation according to the official website. Linked closely with Illinois State University according to the official website, Redbird athletics competes across various NCAA Division I events according to the official website.
For updates throughout this weekend’s series and more information about schedules or rosters, fans can visit GoRedbirds.com or follow team social media channels. The site offers news and resources intended for athletes and supporters alike according to the official website.
