The Basics
Game #11
Oral Roberts (6-4, 0-0) vs. Illinois State (2-7, 0-0)
Dates: Mar. 5th | 3:00 p.m.
Location: Tulsa, Okla. (Chapman Park)
Watch: Summit League Network | Live Stats: SidearmStats
 
TULSA, Okla. – The Oral Roberts baseball team continues their eight-game home stand as they welcome in their second Missouri Valley Conference for the Illinois State Redbirds.
 
ORU is fresh off of a weekend series with then No. 19 Dallas Baptist where they dropped two of three games. The Golden Eagles were able to walk off the Patriots on Friday afternoon 7-6 but dropped game two 6-1 and game three 6-5. 
 
Illinois State is also coming off of a weekend series loss, losing two of three to Lindenwood on the road and winning Saturday afternoon 8-5. The Redbirds were outscored 18-15 over the weekend.
 
ISU is currently on a 17-game road trip to open up the 2025 campaign; meanwhile, ORU plays 14 of their 18 games at Chapman Park.  The Golden Eagles are 5-2 at home to start the year with wins over Arkansas Pine-Bluff, Missouri State, and No. 19 Dallas Baptist. 
 
In the mid-week ORU is 1-0, their lone win coming against Missouri State. Illinois State is also 1-0 with an 11-1 win over Ball State. 
 
Pitching Matchup: 
TBD vs. TBD
 
Inside the Series:
This is the second-ever meeting between ORU and Illinois State, the Golden Eagles leading the head-to-head matchup 1-0 all time.  The lone game was played on March 14th, 2002 in Normal, IL where ORU defeated the Redbirds 16-3.
 
Quick Hits: 

• Oral Roberts is 5-2 at Chapman Park in 2025
• The Golden Eagles won in walk-off fashion twice last week against Missouri State (8-7 F/10) and No. 19 Dallas Baptist (7-6 F/9)
• Cooper Combs and Wailele Kane-Yates are both tied for the team lead in homers (2) and RBIs (13)

 
Scouting the Opponent: 
The Illinois State Redbirds head to Tulsa after dropping two of three against Lindenwood over the weekend. ISU's mid-week trip to T-Town is part of a 17-game road trip to begin the 2025 season.
 
The Redbirds come in with a record of 2-7 with wins over Lindenwood last Saturday and Ball State on Feb. 25th. 
Kyle Gibson leads Illinois State in batting average at .375 in nine games driving in eight runs. 
 
Judah Morris leads the team in both homers (4) and RBIs (11).  He has homered in three of their last four games.
 
RHP Harper Thomas got the ball to start ISU's last mid-week contest going 3.0 innings giving up two hits, no runs, one walk, and two strikeouts.
 
Illinois State's pitching staff has been highlighted by RHP Matthew Donnison who leads the team in ERA at 2.45 in 11.0 innings of work.  His longest outing is 3.0 innings and had 14 strikeouts on the season, which is second on the staff. 

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