NOTEBOOK (PDF)

After two weeks of league play, Missouri State (5-1) holds a one game lead over Bradley (4-2) and Southern Illinois (4-2), a 1.5 game lead over DBU (2-1) and a three game lead over Indiana State (2-4), Illinois State (2-4) and Valparaiso (2-4).  Evansville sits 0-3 entering the weekend. 

This weekend's schedule features three conference series. Indiana State will welcome Illinois State to Terre Haute, Bradley will travel to Evansville and DBU will play host to Southern Illinois.  In non-conference play, Missouri State will host #9 Oregon State for three games at Hammons Field over the weekend, while Valparaiso will travel to Michigan State for a three-game set as well.

Streaking at Hammons
With three straight wins over Evansville to start their current seven-game home stand, the Bears ran their 2018 home mark to 11-2 and extended their current Hammons Field win streak to 10 consecutive victories since March 11. That streak represents the sixth different home win streak of at least six games since the start of the 2015 season, as well as the Bears’ third-longest home streak since moving to Hammons Field in 2004. The longest such streak is 16 straight victories from April 18, 2015 through March 6, 2016. 

Current Home Win Streaks (NCAA)
12    Arkansas
11    Michigan
10     Missouri State

Five in RPI’s Top-75
Five league teams continue to rank in the top-75 of the RPI, led by Missouri State (No. 41), Indiana State (No. 47), DBU (No. 58), Bradley (No. 66) and Illinois State (No. 71).

Another two teams, Southern Illinois (No. 135) and Valparaiso (No. 155), also rank in the RPI’s top-175.

Valley RPI Ranks No. 7
According to the latest RPI update from WarrenNolan.com (April 9), the Missouri Valley Conference ranks No. 7 amongst 31 leagues, moving up one position from last week. Four of the Power-Five conferences (SEC, Big 12, ACC and Pac-12) hold four of the top five positions, while the American sits fifth and Sun Belt seventh.

Wins Over Power Five
Entering this week’s action, the MVC has earned 11 wins over members of Power Five conferences.  The Valley sits 3-2 vs. the Pac-12, 5-5 vs. the Big 12, 2-8 vs. the Big Ten, 1-3 against the ACC and 0-5 vs. the SEC. 

Six of the eight MVC teams have earned wins against the Power Five.  Bradley, Southern Illinois and Valparaiso each have one Power Five win, while Missouri State has two and DBU and Illinois State three.  

This week’s schedule features 11 games against Power Five teams. Missouri State will host #9 Oregon State for a three-game series, while Valpo will travel to Michigan State for three games. Tuesday’s schedule features: Illinois State at Illinois, Missouri at Missouri State, Iowa at Bradley, Indiana State at #10 Indiana and #6 Texas Tech at DBU.  

Hannah Hit Streak
DBU's Jameson Hannah extended his career-high hit streak to 30 games on Sunday at Illinois State. Hannah has also reached base safely in 41 consecutive games dating back to May 16, 2017.  In Saturday’s comeback win in extra innings over Illinois State, Hannah’s RBI single in the 10th inning proved to be the game-winning RBI and marked the 200th hit of his career.

Another Hit Streak...
After recording a hit in all three of the team’s games against DBU, Illinois State's John Rave has increased his hitting streak to 17 games on the season. That is the second-longest by a Redbird batter since 2004, as current St. Louis Cardinal shortstop Paul DeJong had an 18-game hit streak during the 2014 season. The Redbirds have had 32 different batters with 10+ game hit streaks since 2004, including three this season (Collin Braithwaite, 13 games; Owen Miller, 12 games). 

Poll Position
Missouri State appeared at No. 19 in this week’s D1Baseball.com Top 25 Poll. The Bears also sit No. 24 in this week’s Collegiate Baseball poll and No. 25 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.  DBU also received votes in the NCBWA and USA Today Coaches Poll, while appearing No. 25 in this week’s Baseball America rankings.  

This week's Missouri Valley Conference Baseball Player/Pitcher of the Week are Missouri State's Drew Millas and Southern Illinois' Brad Harrison.

MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Drew Millas, So., C, Missouri State
Missouri State sophomore catcher/DH Drew Millas sparked the Bears’ offense to a series sweep of Evansville by going 6-for-12 with six RBI in MSU’s three victories over the weekend. After helping the Bears erase a late deficit with two RBIs—including a game-tying, seventh-inning sac fly—in Friday’s opener, Millas went 3-for-4 with the game-winning RBI in game two. The Swansea, Ill., native helped MSU lock up its 10th consecutive home win Sunday, logging a key three-run double as part of a 2-for-4 day in the 11-4 victory.

Other Notable Performances: Kody Funderburk (DBU); Noah Sadler (ILS); CJ Huntley (INS); Drew Curtis (SIU); Blake Billinger (VALPO)

MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE PITCHER OF THE WEEK:
Brad Harrison, So., LHP, Southern Illinois
Southern Illinois sophomore pitcher Brad Harrison struck out 11 in seven shutout innings in an 8-0 win over Valparaiso Sunday. In the first four innings of the game, Valparaiso only put six balls in play while Harrison struck out nine. For the game, Harrison limited Valpo to a .167 average. In eight starts, Harrison has started three shutouts this season—one complete game and two that were finished by Trey McDaniel, including this past Sunday.     

Other Notable Performances: Alex Gray (BRAD); Sean Boyle (DBU); Matt Walker (ILS); Triston Polley (INS); Logan Wiley (MSU); Trey Ferketic (VALPO)