McLean County Times

Illinois State's baseball team achieved a victory against Murray State with an 11-8 score at Johnny Reagan Field on Saturday night. The win brings Illinois State to a 21-19 overall record and 9-8 in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC). Junior Noah Rabin played a crucial role, contributing two hits and three RBIs while reaching base in all six of his plate appearances.

Murray State now holds a 25-17 overall record and is 8-9 in the MVC. The game began with Murray State scoring first through an RBI ground out in the first inning. Rabin responded by tying the game with his ninth home run of the season in the second inning. Although Murray State briefly regained the lead, Illinois State took control with Rabin's two-RBI double in the third inning.

The fourth inning was pivotal for Illinois State as they sent 11 players to bat, resulting in five runs and an 8-2 lead. Despite Murray State's efforts to close the gap, including a three-run sixth inning, Illinois State maintained their advantage.

In the eighth inning, redshirt junior Judah Morris hit his seventh home run of the year, extending Illinois State's lead to 10-6. Murray State added two more runs in their half of the eighth, but Illinois State secured their win with an additional run from junior Tyler Herron's RBI single in the ninth.

This victory marks Illinois State's first win over Murray State since March 2019. Senior Erik Kubiatowicz tied for sixth-most appearances in program history after pitching for part of an inning. Sophomore Luke Lawrence extended his on-base streak to 26 games with a first-inning double.

The teams will meet again on Sunday at Johnny Reagan Field for another match-up.

For further updates on Illinois State Baseball, fans can visit GoRedbirds.com or follow them on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram.