McLean County Times

Illinois State achieved a series sweep over Southern Illinois with a 10-5 victory on Sunday at Duffy Bass Field. Senior Auggie Rasmussen played a crucial role for the Redbirds, contributing three hits and five RBIs to the team's performance.

Southern Illinois was led by Jake Allgeyer, who also recorded three hits in the game. The Salukis started strong with back-to-back home runs in the first inning, establishing an early 4-0 lead. However, Rasmussen responded with his 12th home run of the season, reducing the deficit to 4-2.

The Redbirds took control in the third inning, scoring three runs including a two-run double by Rasmussen and taking advantage of a passed ball to secure a 5-4 lead. Southern Illinois managed to tie the game at 5-5 in the seventh inning with an RBI single.

Illinois State then surged ahead in their half of the seventh inning, scoring five runs from four hits. This included consecutive two-RBI singles that cemented their commanding 10-5 lead.

In addition to Rasmussen's standout performance, junior Joe Husak earned recognition for his relief pitching. He secured the win after allowing just one run over 5.1 innings. Notably, this marked Rasmussen's first five-RBI game since Daniel Pacella's similar achievement against Missouri State on March 29.

Next up for Illinois State is a trip to Chicago for a three-game series against UIC from May 10-12.

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