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Jacob Greenan

Leathernecks and Redbirds Meet in Tuesday Night Battle

| By: WIU Athletic Communications

WIU and ISU set for Tuesday (March 9) at 6 p.m.

Who | Western Illinois (2-6) at Illinois State (3-6)
When | Tuesday (March 9) at 6 p.m. 
Where | Normal, Ill. 
Watch | ESPN+ or ESPN 3 TBA
Social Media | Twitter + Facebook #TRADITIONofTOUGH

First Pitch | A recent addition to the schedule, the Western Illinois baseball teams travels to in-state foe Illinois State for a midweek game under the lights on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

The game will serve as the home opener for ISU. 

Tickets / COVID-19 Protocols | All ISU contests on campus this spring will be limited to player guests only (100 per game per sport).

Headlines 
  • Trenton Bauer and Kevin Raisbeck are tied a for a team-leading 11 hits while Alex Dorethy sits in second with 10. The trio have started all eight games this season. 
  • Raisbeck knocked his 23nd career multi-hit game of his career and fourth of the season on Sunday (March 7). 
  • This season, Bauer has started at DH, catcher and made a relief appearance at Louisville.
  • Freshman Jacob Greenan will make his first career start at Illinois State
  • WIU and ISU last took the filed in the 2018 season as the Redbirds won 8-4 at Alred D. Boyer. 
  • The Leathernecks finished 1-3 in a four-game series at Evansville over the weekend. 
  • Tyler Estes is ranked the hardest to strikeout in The Summit League among qualified batters with one strikeout in 15 at bats.  
  • The Leathernecks upset No. 4 Louisville 8-3 in the season opener to give head coach Andy Pascoe his first career victory. The most recent win over a ranked opponent occurred at No. 24 Iowa in 2015, and the Leathernecks also notably defeated No. 1 Arkansas on opening weekend in 2013.
  • Newcomer Derek Botaletto hit .500 with six hits and a 1.154 OPS on the opening weekend at Louisville, highlighted by a 4-5 performance in the series opener.     
  • Head coach Andy Pascoe enters his second season at the helm of Western Illinois and is currently the third youngest head coach in Division I baseball. 
  • Prior to the start of the season, Trenton Bauer was named a Summit League Player to Watch, and Austin Edwards was selected as a Summit League Pitcher to Watch.  
Scouting the Opposition | Illinois State is 3-6 overall this season… they opened the 2021 season with a series win at SIUE and recently dropped three games in a four-game road trip at Southeast Missouri… the Redbirds were picked to finish second in the Missouri Valley Conference behind Dallas Baptist in the preseason poll… ISU is the reigning champions of the MVC after splitting the conference title in 2019. 

Last Time Out | In his return to his alma mater over the weekend, head coach Andy Pascoe and the Western Illinois baseball team took one game in a four-game set at Evansville.  

The Return | Shortly after the 2020 season was canceled, seniors Trenton Bauer, Kevin Raisbeck, and Jackson Gray were granted an extra year of eligibility. The transfer trio has combined for 133 games in the Purple and Gold, including helping set the program's all-time Summit League victories (16) and handing Oral Roberts, the 18-time league champion, first-ever sweep in league play. 

In addition, Western returns its team-leaders in every offensive, defensive, and pitching category. 

Quick Start Part 2 | Catcher Jayden Gibson made his collegiate debut in the season opener last year at Tennessee one to remember as he recorded both of Western's two hits in the series opener and threw out a runner. The backstop mirrored the performance as he knocked a hit in his first at-bat of the season and threw out three runners at Louisville. 

Bullpen | The WIU bullpen returns 13 of 15 arms from last season, led by the team-leaders in appearances, starts, strikeouts, and innings pitched. 

Newcomers | Nine newcomers suit up for the Purple and Gold this season - Derek Botaletto, Kory Olsen, Caden Kratz, Collin Drake, Christian McKelvey, Gavin Terry, Thurman Thomas III, Jacob Greenan, and Will Jaynes. 

On Deck | WIU heads to Saint Louis for a three-game weekend tilt against the Billikens. Game one is set for Friday (March 12) at 3 p.m.
 
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