McLean County Times

Illinois State University's baseball team secured a 4-3 victory over Belmont University in an 11-inning game at Duffy Bass Field. This win sets up a decisive third game scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m.

The Redbirds, now holding a record of 27-25 overall and 15-11 in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), were led by junior Noah Rabin, who contributed significantly with two RBIs from his single hit out of four attempts.

Belmont's team, on the other hand, saw their record fall to 25-29 overall and 12-14 in MVC play.

In the game's progression, Illinois State initiated scoring in the fourth inning with a sacrifice fly by Rabin. This was followed by redshirt junior Judah Morris hitting an RBI double, establishing a 2-0 lead. The Redbirds extended their advantage in the fifth inning when senior Auggie Rasmussen executed another sacrifice fly, bringing the score to 3-0.

Belmont responded with three runs; two came in the sixth inning and one more in the eighth, leveling the score at 3-3. The teams then endured two and a half innings without any further scoring until Rabin hit a walk-off home run over the right field wall at the bottom of the eleventh inning, securing Illinois State's victory.

Morris' performance included his eighteenth double of the season, marking it as second most during Steve Holm's coaching tenure. Rabin's decisive home run marked Illinois State's second walk-off home run this season.

The series between Illinois State and Belmont will conclude on Saturday with a game broadcasted on ESPN+. Additionally, Saturday will be Senior Day for Illinois State as they honor nine student-athletes postgame.

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