Redbird stay hot in Valley with sweep of Evansville
Image Courtesy of Redbird Athletics
NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State baseball delivered an offensive onslaught at Duffy Bass Field this weekend, sweeping Evansville in a dominant three-game series. The Redbirds outscored the Purple Aces 38-13 over the weekend, improving their record to 18-16 overall and 9-3 in Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) play.
Game 1: Redbirds Open Series With Offensive Barrage
On Friday night, Illinois State defeated Evansville 17-8 behind a balanced offensive effort that saw eight of nine starters record hits. Junior Daniel Contreras led the way, going 3-for-5 with a double and five RBIs. Graham Mastros added three hits, two RBIs, and scored three times.
Starting pitcher Thomas Harper (3-1) earned the win, pitching five innings and allowing four earned runs. Tresdon Rybarczyk secured the save with four innings of relief. The Redbirds tallied four runs in the second inning and never looked back, eventually putting the game out of reach with a four-run sixth inning.
Game 2: Morris Powers Redbirds to Series Win
Illinois State clinched the series on Saturday with a 7-1 victory, powered by senior Judah Morris, who went 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs. The Redbirds collected 14 hits, with Kyle Gibson and Daniel Pacella each recording three-hit performances.
Senior Tanner Perry (3-3) delivered 6.1 strong innings on the mound, striking out seven and allowing just one run. Carter Monke closed the door, retiring the final eight Evansville batters without surrendering a hit. The win marked Illinois State’s first series victory over Evansville since 2021.
Game 3: Walk-Off Walk Highlights Sunday Run-Rule Rout
On Sunday, the Redbirds completed the sweep with a 14-4 run-rule victory in eight innings. Illinois State erupted for nine runs in the bottom of the eighth, capped by a walk-off walk drawn by Shai Robinson.
Josh Outlaw led the offense with three RBIs, while Luke Stulga and Judah Morris each added two hits. Stulga extended his hitting streak to 10 games. Reliever Matthew Donnison (3-1) earned the win with 1.2 shutout innings, and Joe Husak closed the game in the eighth for his fourth save of the season—his 11th career save, tying him for third all-time in program history.
Series Notes and Milestones:
Daniel Pacella reached base in all three games, extending his on-base streak to 26 consecutive contests.
The Redbirds recorded 43 hits and scored 38 runs across the weekend.
Looking Ahead:
Illinois State will resume conference play next weekend with a three-game I-74 rivalry series against Bradley.
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