McLean County Times

Illinois State University secured a narrow 6-5 victory over Eastern Illinois in an 11-inning game at Duffy Bass Field. The match, held on Tuesday, marked the final midweek game of the 2025 season for Illinois State.

The hero of the day was junior Josh Outlaw, who delivered a walk-off double to clinch the win for Illinois State, bringing their overall record to 25-25. Senior Noah Smith and freshman Brayden Bakes were pivotal contributors, each recording multiple RBIs. Smith had one hit and two RBIs, while Bakes hit a home run and a single.

Eastern Illinois saw its record fall to 26-20 after the loss.

Top performers for Illinois State included Brayden Bakes with two hits in four at-bats, including a home run and two RBIs. Noah Smith went one-for-three with two RBIs. Kyle Gibson contributed by going two-for-four with two runs scored. Josh Outlaw's decisive moment came as he went one-for-five with his game-winning double.

On the mound, Ryan Weaver started strong for Illinois State with four innings pitched without allowing an earned run. Tresdon Rybarczyk earned the win, improving his record to 4-3 after pitching 1.2 innings without giving up any runs.

The Redbirds initially took control of the game by scoring four runs in the first two innings and extending their lead to 5-0 by the fifth inning thanks to Smith's RBI single. However, Eastern Illinois rallied back late in the game, tying it up in the ninth inning with four runs off five hits.

Josh Outlaw's performance sealed the victory after Chris Danko walked earlier in the final inning.

In addition to securing this win, Bakes recorded his eighth home run of the year. The team has now improved its record against in-state conference opponents to 7-4 this season. Outlaw joins teammates Shai Robinson and Daniel Pacella as Redbirds who have delivered walk-off hits this year.

Illinois State is set to conclude its regular season on the road against Indiana State from May 15-17.

For ongoing updates on Illinois State Baseball, fans are encouraged to visit GoRedbirds.com or follow their social media channels on Twitter (@RedbirdBaseball) and Instagram (isuredbirdbaseball).