McLean County Times

Sophomore Daniel Pacella's walk-off home run secured a 4-3 victory for Illinois State over Indiana State in their series opener at Duffy Bass Field. The Redbirds, now with a record of 20-15 overall and 8-5 in the MVC, triumphed after Pacella hit his eighth home run of the season in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Junior Joe Husak contributed to the win by delivering a scoreless ninth inning from the bullpen. Senior Auggie Rasmussen initiated scoring for Illinois State with an RBI groundout in the first inning. However, Indiana State responded strongly with three home runs in the fourth inning, establishing a 3-1 lead.

The Redbirds fought back with junior Tyler Herron's RBI double in the sixth and senior Shaydon Kubo's RBI single in the eighth to level the score at 3-3. The Sycamores were unable to capitalize on their opportunities in the top of the ninth, setting up Pacella's decisive moment.

Pacella faced a 1-2 count before hitting a curveball out of play for Illinois State's first walk-off home run since May 2010. This victory marked their first win against Indiana State since April 2022.

Illinois State will continue its series against Indiana State with another game scheduled for Saturday at 3:00 p.m. CT.

For more updates on Illinois State Baseball, fans can visit GoRedbirds.com or follow them on social media platforms including Twitter (@RedbirdBaseball), Instagram (isuredbirdbaseball), and Facebook (Illinois State Baseball).