McLean County Times

Illinois State University's baseball team faced a setback in their series opener against Belmont, with an 11-5 loss at Duffy Bass Field. The game saw Illinois State's redshirt junior Judah Morris leading the offensive effort, going 2-for-3 and securing three RBIs.

The Redbirds now hold a record of 26-25 overall and 14-11 in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), while Belmont improved to 25-28 overall and 12-13 in MVC play this season.

The match began with Illinois State taking an early lead in the first inning. Judah Morris hit an RBI double, followed by a two-RBI single from junior Noah Rabin, giving the Redbirds a 3-0 advantage. However, Belmont answered back with runs in the fourth and fifth innings, narrowing the gap to 3-2.

Morris extended Illinois State's lead once more in the fifth inning with a two-RBI triple, making it a 5-2 game. Nevertheless, Belmont responded decisively by scoring nine consecutive runs—two in the sixth inning, two more in the seventh, and five additional runs in the eighth—resulting in their eventual victory.

Judah Morris' performance included his 17th double of the year, marking it as second most during Steve Holm's tenure as coach. Senior Cameron Mabee made his fourteenth start of the season for Illinois State, pitching six innings and recording three strikeouts. The team currently holds a home record of 10 wins and seven losses for this year.

Looking ahead, Illinois State will continue its series against Belmont on Friday at Duffy Bass Field with a scheduled first pitch at 3:00 p.m. CT. The game will be available for viewing on ESPN+.

For ongoing updates about Illinois State Baseball, fans can visit GoRedbirds.com or follow their social media channels on Twitter (@RedbirdBaseball) and Instagram (isuredbirdbaseball). They can also engage with content on Facebook under Illinois State Baseball.

GoRedbirds.com remains a key resource for tickets, multimedia content, merchandise information, photos, and other related materials concerning Illinois State athletics.