Ex-area standouts key cogs for new-look Redbirds

Photo by: The News-Gazette

NORMAL — Steve Holm arrived at Illinois State last summer with a "clean slate" mentality for his first season as the Redbirds' baseball coach after two seasons at Purdue.

The former Boilermakers' pitching coach wasn't concerned about what his new players did the year prior. Didn't look at their stats. Or watch much film. The ISU players had an opportunity at a fresh start for the 2019 season.

The clean slate didn't mean much of a change for Joe Aeilts. The Champaign Central graduate went from ISU's starting third baseman to ... ISU's starting third baseman. It was a different story for Centennial product Jeff Lindgren. A spot in the Redbirds' starting rotation up for…