McLean County Times

Illinois State University's baseball team faced a challenging loss against Murray State in the series finale, with a final score of 15-12 at Johnny Reagan Field. The defeat places Illinois State's overall record at 21-20 and 9-9 in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), while Murray State improves to 26-17 overall and matches Illinois State's conference record.

The game began on a promising note for Illinois State as they scored three runs in the first inning, highlighted by a two-run home run from redshirt junior Judah Morris. However, Murray State responded robustly by scoring eight consecutive runs through a grand slam, a two-run home run, and a two-RBI double, establishing an early lead.

Senior Auggie Rasmussen played a pivotal role for the Redbirds, contributing four RBIs including a three-run homer in the third inning that reduced the gap to 8-6. Despite these efforts, Murray State continued their offensive surge with seven more runs across several innings, bringing their total to 15 by the sixth inning.

Junior Noah Rabin hit a solo home run in the seventh inning to narrow the deficit slightly. In the eighth inning, Rabin added a two-RBI double followed by Rasmussen driving him in to bring Illinois State closer at 15-12. Unfortunately for Illinois State fans, this would be their final push as no further runs were scored.

Luke Lawrence had another strong performance with his 19th multi-hit game of the season and extended his on-base streak to 27 games. The Redbirds struggled defensively allowing six home runs during this matchup.

Illinois State will conclude its five-game road trip with an upcoming match against Iowa in Iowa City on Tuesday at 6:05 p.m. CT.

For more updates on Illinois State Baseball, visit GoRedbirds.com or follow them on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram under @RedbirdBaseball or Facebook at Illinois State Baseball.