McLean County Times

Illinois State's baseball team secured an 11-1 victory over Ball State in Muncie, Indiana, marking their first midweek game of the 2025 season. Senior Kyle Gibson played a key role for the Redbirds with a standout performance, going 4-for-5 at the plate and contributing two RBIs and two stolen bases.

The team's offensive efforts were further supported by Daniel Pacella and Judah Morris. Pacella delivered a 3-for-5 performance with an RBI, while Morris went 2-for-4, adding to the score with two RBIs alongside Brayden Bakes and Graham Mastros.

The Redbirds took an early lead in the first inning when Pacella hit an RBI double to bring Gibson home. The second inning saw Illinois State extend their lead to 4-0 through Gibson's hit, a bases-loaded walk, and a passed ball. Another RBI single from Gibson in the third made it 5-0. Morris then hit an RBI double in the fourth before Mastros added his first home run as a Redbird for an 8-0 advantage.

Morris continued his strong performance with a solo home run in the sixth inning, making it his second of the year and extending Illinois State's lead to 9-0. Ball State managed to score in the seventh inning via a fielder's choice.

In the eighth inning, Bakes contributed further to Illinois State's tally with his first home run for the team, resulting in an 11-1 final score. Joey Wilmoth closed out the game for Illinois State by securing three outs in succession.

The Redbirds outhit Ball State with 13 hits compared to five from their opponents, including four doubles and three home runs. Five pitchers took part in securing this win: Thomas Harper, MacCallan Conklin, Braden Roesch, Leo Berger, and Wilmoth.

Illinois State will next travel to Saint Charles, Missouri for a three-game series against Lindenwood scheduled from Friday through Sunday.

For more updates on Illinois State Baseball, visit GoRedbirds.com or follow them on social media platforms such as X (@RedbirdBaseball), Instagram (isuredbirdbaseball), and Facebook (Illinois State Baseball).