McLean County Times

Illinois State University's baseball team faced a setback in their series against Western Illinois, losing the second game 17-8 at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium. This result brings Illinois State's overall record to 4-11.

Junior Shai Robinson made notable contributions for Illinois State, going 2-for-4 with a two-RBI single. Senior Braden Roesch also delivered a solid relief performance with 1.2 innings pitched, allowing two hits and one earned run while striking out two batters and walking one.

Western Illinois improved to an overall record of 5-9 by hitting three home runs and securing seven RBIs from the top three players in their batting order.

The game began with the Redbirds taking an early lead in the first inning thanks to an RBI single from Josh Outlaw and a sacrifice fly from Judah Morris, making it 2-0. However, Western Illinois quickly responded with three runs in the bottom of the first inning through a pair of RBI singles, taking a 3-2 lead.

The Leathernecks extended their advantage in the third inning with a solo home run, bringing the score to 4-2 after three innings. In response, Noah Smith hit his first home run of the season for Illinois State in the seventh inning, narrowing the gap to 4-3.

Western Illinois then surged ahead with five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, including two home runs, pushing their lead to 9-3. The Redbirds fought back in the eighth inning with five runs of their own; this included a two-run RBI single by Shai Robinson and Daniel Contreras' first home run of the season—a three-run shot—making it a closer contest.

However, Western Illinois sealed their victory by scoring eight more runs in their half of the eighth inning, finalizing the score at 17-8.

In other highlights for Illinois State: Daniel Pacella extended his hitting streak to seven games; Josh Outlaw made his defensive debut as right fielder; Judah Morris reached base for his twelfth consecutive game.

Looking ahead, Illinois State will host Western Illinois for a doubleheader on Saturday at Duffy Bass Field starting at 1 PM to conclude their four-game series.

For further updates on Illinois State Baseball activities and events: visit GoRedbirds.com or follow them on social media platforms like X (@RedbirdBaseball), Instagram (isuredbirdbaseball), and Facebook (Illinois State Baseball).