BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Illinois State struck first in the game; however, the Redbirds could not hold onto the early lead, falling in the 12th annual Horenberger-Bass Classic against Illinois Wesleyan by a 10-4 final score.
Owen Miller led the Redbirds with three hits in the game, as Joe Aeilts and Derek Parola each had two hits. No person had more than one RBI, and no one had more than one run scored in the game.
Illinois State struck first in the game when Miller hit a one-out infield single, and was advanced to second after Noah Sadler was hit by a pitch. A batter later, Aeilts singled through the left side of the infield, scoring Miller, and putting the Redbirds ahead 1-0.
After two scoreless innings, Illinois Wesleyan erupted for six runs in the fourth inning, and then four more in the bottom of the fifth.
Two more scoreless innings followed before the Redbirds cut into the deficit with a three-run, five hit top of the eighth inning. The Redbirds got a leadoff single from Aeilts and a double from Parola to put runners on second and third. A single from Jordan Libman scored Aeilts, before Nick Zouras chased home Parola with a single to right field. A single by John Rave put Libman on third, where he scored a batter later on a sacrifice fly from Miller.
Jacob Gilmore started the game for the Redbirds and had a no-decision as he allowed just one hit over three innings of work while striking out one. Trevor Cross struck out two in two innings of relief, while Michael Sebby and Jeff Lindgren each pitched scoreless innings for the Redbirds.
Illinois State returns to action on Saturday, April 28 when the team travels to Indianapolis to take on the Butler Bulldogs. Both teams make a return trip to Normal the following day, and will face off at Duffy Bass Field on Sunday, April 29 in a 1 p.m. first pitch.
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