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After two weeks of league play, Evansville (5-1) holds a one game lead over DBU (4-2) and Missouri State (4-2) and a 1.5 game lead over Illinois State (2-1).  Indiana State and Southern Illinois sit 1-2, Bradley 0-3 and Valpo 1-5 entering this weekend's schedule. 

This weekend's schedule features three conference series. Illinois State will welcome Missouri State to Normal, Southern Illinois will travel to Bradley and Indiana State will play host to Valparaiso.  In non-conference play, Evansville will face Indiana four times over the weekend, while DBU will travel to Charleston for a three-game set.

Foreshadowing? 
Evansville's series victory over DBU was their first series win over the Patriots since the 2014 season when they took two of three in Dallas. The Aces eventually took home the regular season conference crown that year with a 15-6 league record, holding off DBU and Indiana State by a single game in the standings.      

High Percentage
Indiana State enters the week with the ninth-best winning percentage in the nation (.793).  The Sycamores’ 23-6 mark is the best start in program history.  

Streak Ender
Evansville saw its eight-game win streak come to a close in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader with DBU.  The Aces’ 8-game streak was the third longest active streak in the nation.

Strong Arms
Bradley currently boasts the nation’s best team ERA at 2.21. Bradley starters have not allowed more than two earned runs in any of the last 11 games since Cole Cook surrendered a season-high three earned runs March 21 versus Dartmouth. Indiana State’s staff is also enjoying a great season, sitting fifth nationally in team ERA (2.75).

NCAA Leaders (Team ERA)
    1.    Bradley                    2.21
    2.    UCLA                       2.55
    3.    Oregon State            2.64
    4.    Fordham                    2.66
    5.    Indiana State             2.75

Only once in MVC history has a team posted a team ERA below 2.50.  The 1957 Bradley staff finished the season with an ERA of 0.94.

Team ERA (Top 5 in MVC History)
0.94    Bradley, 1957
2.53    Wichita State, 1982
2.57    Missouri State, 2012
2.58    Indiana State, 1977
2.67    Bradley, 1965

Five in RPI’s Top-100
Five league teams continue to rank in the top-100 of the RPI, led by Evansville (No. 33), Indiana State (No. 46), DBU (No. 49), Illinois State (No. 53) and Missouri State (No. 81).

Another two teams, Southern Illinois (No. 137) and Bradley (No. 149), also rank in the RPI’s top-150.

Valley RPI Ranks No. 8
According to the latest RPI update from WarrenNolan.com (April 8), the Missouri Valley Conference ranks No. 8 amongst 31 leagues, moving down one position from last week. Four of the Power-Five conferences (SEC, Pac-12, Big 12, ACC) hold four of the top five positions, while the American sits fifth, the West Coast sixth and the Big Ten seventh.

Wins Over Power Five
Entering this week’s action, the MVC has earned 20 wins over members of Power Five conferences.  The Valley sits 1-0 vs. the Pac-12, 2-0 vs. the ACC, 12-13 vs. the Big Ten, 3-7 vs. the Big 12 and 2-7 vs. the SEC. 

Five of the eight MVC teams have earned wins against the Power Five.  Indiana State leads the league with seven Power Five wins, including a 7-3 mark vs. the Big Ten. DBU has five Power Five wins, while Evansville has four. Missouri State and Illinois State each have a pair.   

This week’s schedule features 10 games against Power Five teams as Indiana State plays two at Michigan, Evansville faces Indiana four times, Illinois State hosts Illinois, Missouri State travels to Kansas, DBU hosts TCU and Bradley hosts Iowa.  

National Players of the Week
Bradley’s Brooks Gosswein and Andy Shadid and Missouri State’s Joey Polak earned a spot on this week’s Collegiate Baseball’s National Players of the Week list. 

Tough Schedule
Missouri State has played one of the strongest schedules nationally entering the conference season.  The Bears strength of schedule is ranked fifth nationally with 12 games against Quadrant 1 opponents.  MSU’s strength of schedule ranks behind USC, Vanderbilt, UCLA and LSU.  

This week's Missouri Valley Conference Baseball Player/Pitcher of the Week are Missouri State's Joey Polak and Illinois State's Brett Wicklund.

MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Joey Polak, So., 3B, Missouri State
Missouri State’s Joey Polak hit .455 (10-for-22) and slugged 1.045 while belting four home runs and driving in eight runs to help MSU win four of its five games last week, including a second-straight MVC series win at Southern Illinois over the weekend. The sophomore third baseman registered multi-hit performances in four-straight games—all MSU victories—and became the ninth player in program history to homer three times in a game Friday in a 10-5 come-from-behind win in Carbondale.       
 
Other Notable Performances: Andy Shadid (BRAD); Craig Shepherd (UE); John Rave (ILS); Alex Lyon (SIU); Chase Dawson (VALPO)

MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE PITCHER OF THE WEEK:
Brett Wicklund, So., RHP, Illinois State
Illinois State’s Brett Wicklund was remarkable in his start this week for the Redbirds. The sophomore right-handed pitcher tossed the midweek matchup versus the Eastern Illinois Panthers. Wicklund hurled a three-hit complete game shutout. Wicklund faced just three over the minimum in the complete game while striking out three and walking none. It’s the first time a Redbird has thrown a nine-inning complete game shutout since Jacob Hendren accomplished the same feat in May of 2015. The win improved Wicklund’s record to 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA. 

Other Notable Performances: Brooks Gosswein (BRAD); Zach Heaton (DBU); Shane Gray (UE); Collin Liberatore (INS); Forrest Barnes (MSU); Mason HIser (SIU)