Illinois State secured a win against Iowa, finishing the game with a score of 6-5. This victory allowed Illinois State to sweep the series against the Big Ten’s Iowa on Tuesday night at Duane Banks Field. Illinois State’s record now stands at 21-21 while Iowa’s drops to 31-13.
Judah Morris led Illinois State at the plate, going 2-for-4. On the mound, senior Carter Monke gave a strong performance, pitching for 7 innings without allowing any walks.
Top performers included Luke Stulga, who went 1-for-4 with a home run and 4 RBIs, and Daniel Pacella, who was 1-for-3 with a home run and 2 RBIs. Morris contributed with a double and a run.
In terms of pitching, Carter Monke achieved the win with stats of 7 innings pitched, 7 hits, 3 earned runs, no walks, and 4 strikeouts. Tresdon Rybarczyk did not record any outs and allowed 2 hits and 2 earned runs, while Joe Husak recorded his sixth save of the year, allowing 1 hit, 0 earned runs, walking 1, and striking out 3 over 2 innings pitched.
The scoring began in the second inning when Iowa scored with a sac fly. The Redbirds responded in the fourth inning as Pacella hit a two-run home run. Stulga furthered the lead with a grand slam, making the score 6-1. Iowa reduced the gap with four runs in the eighth inning, ending the game at 6-5.
Additional highlights include Stulga achieving his fifth home run of the season and extending his hit streak to 18 games. Pacella’s career RBI total moved to 167, tying him for second in Illinois State’s program history. Husak’s save was his 13th for Illinois State, placing him second in the program.
Illinois State will next host Missouri State for a three-game series from May 2 to May 4 at Duffy Bass Field. For updates, visit GoRedbirds.com or follow Illinois State Baseball on social media.
