The Illinois State baseball team lost the final game of its opening weekend series to Southeast Missouri State (SEMO) on Sunday afternoon at Capaha Field in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The Redbirds were defeated 10-1.
SEMO scored two runs in the second inning after a pair of wild pitches and added four more runs in the third to take a 6-0 lead. In the fourth inning, Illinois State junior Ryan Bakes hit a solo home run, his second of the weekend, to put the Redbirds on the board.
SEMO extended its lead in the sixth inning with an RBI single and a three-run home run, making it 10-1.
Junior transfer Ryan Bakes had two hits and reached base in all four plate appearances. This was his second multi-hit game of the series. Redshirt freshman Luke Teschke made his first career start and recorded his first collegiate strikeout during the contest.
Several other players made their debuts for Illinois State. Junior transfer Henry Brummel pitched for the first time as a Redbird and struck out three batters. Junior transfer Nolan Girard also appeared in relief, pitching 1.2 innings and recording his first strikeout for Illinois State. Junior transfer Jacob Culp made his debut as well, striking out one batter in his sole inning of work.
Sophomore Eric Machej collected five hits over the course of the series, which is his highest total for a three-game set.
Despite Sunday’s loss, Illinois State won the overall series by securing victories earlier in the weekend. This marks their fourth season-opening series win under head coach Steve Holm.
Illinois State will next play SIUE on Tuesday, February 17 at Roy E. Lee Field at Simmons Baseball Complex in Edwardsville, with first pitch scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
Illinois State Redbirds are affiliated with Illinois State University and compete in NCAA Division I events across various regions. The program uses facilities such as the OSF HealthCare Athletics Training Center for athlete preparation and benefits from initiatives like the Redbird Athletics Excellence Fund to support competitiveness and recruitment (source). Fans can find news, schedules, rosters, and additional resources through the official website.
For further updates on Illinois State Baseball, information is available on GoRedbirds.com as well as through social media channels including X (@RedbirdBaseball), Instagram (isuredbirdbaseball), and Facebook (Illinois State Baseball).
