Redbirds drop weekend series to Sycamores 1-2

Image courtesy of Illinois State Athletics.

NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State University’s weekend home series against Indiana State proved to be a back-and-forth battle that showcased both the highs and lows of the Redbirds’ season. Across the three-game set, Illinois State experienced a lopsided defeat, a resilient bounce-back victory, and ultimately a series loss, highlighting both the team’s offensive potential and areas that still need refinement as conference play continues.

The series opened Friday evening with Illinois State suffering a tough 11-1 loss. Indiana State wasted no time setting the tone, stringing together three singles at the top of the first inning before adding a two-RBI double to build a 3-0 lead quickly. The Sycamores weren’t finished, tacking on another run later in the inning to make it 4-0 before the Redbirds had a chance to respond. After a couple of scoreless innings, Indiana State extended its lead even further with a three-run home run in the fourth, putting Illinois State in a deep 7-0 hole. The Redbirds managed their lone run in the fifth inning when Camden Karczewski singled and later scored on a Josh Outlaw RBI double, but the momentum never shifted. Indiana State sealed the game with back-to-back home runs in the eighth and added insurance in the ninth, handing Illinois State a decisive defeat.

Although the game didn’t go in favor of the Birds, head coach Steve Holm touched on the usage of some pitchers who have not seen more than 18 innings combined this season. “Obviously, we were chasing, you know, six, seven runs at certain points, and we weren’t willing to use some of the guys that we used when we were up.”

Jacob Culp, Toby Schriefer, Joey Wilmoth, and Kyle Manship combined to pitch five innings in the Friday game, giving up four runs and striking out four batters. “It’s a good opportunity for some of those guys who haven’t been out there much,” Holm said. “A couple of them did a pretty good job. I thought Culp got through two innings for us, and Wilmoth got through a nice inning for us and kind of passed that baton and kept us at least close in some of the spots.”

Saturday, however, told a completely different story. The Redbirds responded with a 6-4 victory, showing resilience and the ability to capitalize on key moments. Indiana State struck first again, taking a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly in the third inning, but Illinois State answered immediately. After Josh Outlaw reached base, Ryan Bakes delivered a two-run home run to give the Redbirds their first lead of the series. The Sycamores continued to apply pressure, briefly reclaiming the lead at 3-2, but Illinois State stayed composed.

Bakes came through again in the fifth inning with an RBI single to tie the game, setting the stage for a sixth inning. The Redbirds erupted for three runs in that frame, highlighted by contributions from Michael Carrano Jr., Louis Bussard, Karczewski, and Outlaw, to take a 6-3 lead. On the mound, Michael Addari provided stability with five strong innings and seven strikeouts, while Reece Clapp closed the door with two scoreless innings to earn the save.

Despite carrying momentum into Sunday’s finale, Illinois State was unable to secure the series, falling 6-1. While the Redbirds struggled to generate offense, Josh Outlaw stood out with a strong individual performance, recording three hits and matching a career-high. However, the Sycamores controlled the game, limiting Illinois State’s opportunities and ultimately claiming the series victory. The loss dropped the Redbirds to 22-14 overall.

Looking ahead, Illinois State now shifts focus to a weekend series with the Murray State Racers. The first game in the road series starts on Friday.

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