A-STATE/ILLINOIS STATE SERIES HISTORY
• This will be just the 4th meeting all-time between A-State and Illinois State with the Redbirds winning each of the three previous meetings.
• The last meeting between the schools was during the 1974 season.
BURGESS MAKES BIG FIRST IMPRESSION
• Sophomore infielder Matt Burgess had a huge start to his A-State career by going 6-for-9 with six RBIs and two doubles.
BAKER STEALS THE WEEKEND
• Austin Baker went 4-for-4 in stolen bases in A-State's opening weekend series against Miami (OH), including two in the opening game.
• This is the second straight season in which Baker has had an impressive start to the season. As a freshman in 2013 he hit a home run in his first collegiate at-bat.
• Baker finished the weekend 5-for-9 with five RBIs and seven total basses, inlcuding a triple.
STRINGING TOGETHER EXTRA BASE HITS
• Arkansas State had seven straight extra base hits in its 13-3 victory over Miami (OH) Sunday Feb. 16.
• For the weekend the Red Wolves had 14 extra base hits, including 13 doubles.
OPENING SERIES SWEEP TWICE AS NICE
• The Arkansas State baseball team opened the 2014 season with a three-game sweep of Miami (Ohio, marking the second year in a row the squad has opened the season with a three-game series sweep.
• Prior to 2013 sweep, the only other it had happened was during the 1971 season.
A-STATE IN SEASON OPENERS
• The Red Wolves are 34-32 all-time on opening day. Arkansas State won its season opener against Miami (Ohio) 3-0.
• The Red Wolves have won 24 straight home openers dating back to the 1991 season.
• A-State is 4-2 in season openers under head coach Tommy Raffo, having defeated Miami (OH) in 2014, Bradley in 2013, Illinois in 2010 and Texas State in 2009.
PRESEASON SBC ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS
• Redshirt junior infielder Zach George was named to the 2014 Preseason All-Sun Belt
Conference team, the first such honor of his career.
• George hit .333 a season ago but played just nine games before suffering a season-ending knee injury at Sam Houston State before the start of conference play. Despite the injury, George managed to hit one home run and drive in five runs and stole one base.
• In 2012, the Paragould, Ark., native finished the year with a .270 batting average and started in 52 of the Red Wolves' 57 games. He added six home runs and was second on the team with 41 RBIs. His 86 total bases and, .430 slugging percentage each ranked as the third best on the team.
STREAKS TO WATCH
PLAYER No. STREAK TYPE
WALLACE RECOGNIZED AS TOP SENIOR
• A-State senior pitcher Bradley Wallace was named as the top 100 seniors in the class of 2014 by Perfect Game USA.
• Wallace was selected as the 28th best senior baseball player in the class of 2014 and the 16th best right-handed pitcher in the class. He was one of just two players from the Sun Belt
Conference on the list with Louisiana-Lafayette first basemen Chase Compton ranking 61st.
COLLEGESPORTSMADDNESS.COM HONORS WALLACE
• Arkansas State senior pitcher Bradley Wallace was as a Preseason Second Team All-Conference selection by CollegeSportsMaddness.com
• Wallace finished the 2013 season with a 5-2 record and a 4.33 ERA and was the Red Wolves' No. 2 starter on a pitching staff that set the school record for most strikeouts in season. He had 78 punch outs in 70.2 innings of work and had the second most wins of any pitcher on the team.
WATCH IN THE STATE ZONE
• Arkansas State University Athletics is pleased to announce that fans can now purchase a 24- Hour Pass to State Zone, the official audio and video portal of AStateRedWolves.com. With a one-time payment of $4.95, fans can watch live video broadcasts of A-State athletic events for 24 straight hours from the time of the purchase.
• State Zone offers fans live audio and video coverage of select games, including 30-plus baseball games, along with unlimited access to the largest A-State sports video library. Other packages offered by State Zone include a one-month deal for the price of $8.95, four months for $29.95, or one year for $79.95.
