McLean County Times

NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State baseball team secured a victory over Northern Illinois with a 14-6 win at Duffy Bass Field on Wednesday evening. The win marked the Redbirds' 10th home victory and brought their season record to 19-19 before resuming Missouri Valley Conference play.

Graham Mastros and Judah Morris each contributed significantly to the Redbirds' offensive efforts. Mastros went 2-for-5 with two doubles and three RBIs, while Morris had a 2-for-4 performance, including a home run and two RBIs. Brayden Bakes also made a notable impact, going 4-for-5 with a double and two RBIs.

Carter Monke's pitching helped set the stage for the Redbirds' success, throwing four solid innings with two hits and no earned runs. Tresdon Rybarczyk, who improved his season record to 2-1, pitched 2.1 innings with one hit and no earned runs.

Illinois State established early dominance with five runs in the first inning. Their lead extended to 6-0 with Bakes adding an RBI in the second inning. Northern Illinois attempted a comeback, narrowing the score to 6-4 by the fifth inning, but the Redbirds increased their lead with an additional four runs in the seventh inning and three runs in the eighth inning. Northern Illinois managed to score two more runs, but the Redbirds maintained their advantage through the end of the game.

Luke Stulga extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a sixth-inning double, while Daniel Pacella reached base safely for the 30th consecutive game. Mastros recorded his first three-RBI game as a Redbird.

Illinois State heads next to Carbondale for a three-game series in the Missouri Valley Conference from April 25-27 at Itchy Jones Stadium.

Supporters can keep updated on Illinois State Baseball through GoRedbirds.com and social media platforms.