VALPARAISO, Ind. – Second-year freshman Jordan Lussier struck out 11 batters as the Illinois State baseball team split a doubleheader at Valparaiso Saturday at Emory G. Bauer Field in two vastly different games.
Illinois State (18-24 overall, 8-7 Missouri Valley Conference) won game one, 12-3, before falling in a 17-12, wind-aided slugfest in game two.
Fourth-year sophomore Jake McCaw was a combined 7-for-10 with a home run, double, three RBIs, three runs, and a walk. Fifth-year junior Aidan Huggins was 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs, three runs scored, and a walk in game one
Fourth-year junior Nick Gile, third-year sophomore Hayden Jones, and fourth-year junior Kyle Soberano also homered in game two.
Fourth-year sophomore Jared Hart struck out nine in four innings of relief in game two.
Valparaiso (10-23 overall, 5-10 MVC) recorded eight extra-base hits in the first two innings of game two.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game One
RBI singles by McCaw and second-year freshman Ryan Cermak gave the 'Birds a 2-0 1st inning advantage.
A three-run home run for Huggins put ISU up, 5-0.
A bases-loaded walk by fifth-year junior Jack Butler, sacrifice fly by Cermak, and RBI groundout by Soberano pushed the Redbirds' lead to 8-0 in the 4th inning
Valpo got two back in the 6th inning but a two-RBI single by fifth-year senior Joe Butler and a single by Soberano gave the Redbirds a 12-2 lead.
Game Two
Valparaiso scored 11 runs over the first two innings before Gile homered in the 3rd to plate three Redbird runs.
McCaw and Jones homered in the 5th inning to cut the VU lead to 12-8 but Valpo added three runs in the bottom of the inning.
The Redbirds drew to within 17-13 in the 9th inning but a bases-loaded strikeout dashed the hopes of an 11-run comeback.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORES
- McCaw has 18 hits in his last 32 at-bats. McCaw recorded four hits in a game (game one) for the second time this season. He remains the only Redbird reach four hits in a game in 2021.
- Lussier's 11 strikeouts in game one are the most by a Redbird freshman since Dan Savas fanned 12 on 4/10/2011.
- Hart's nine strikeouts are tied for the second-most by Redbird reliever since 2000 (first is 12 by Dan Savas in 2011).
- The combined 19 extra-base hits in game two are tied for the second-most in an ISU game since 2000 (first is 25 at Tennessee Tech in 2018).
- The combined nine home runs in game two are the third-most in an ISU game since 2000 (first is 15 at Tennessee Tech in 2018).
- The combined 76 total bases in game two are the third-most in an ISU game since 2000 (first is 99 a Tennessee Tech in 2018).
- The second game featured 361 pitches.
UP NEXT
Illinois State is scheduled to face Valparaiso for the series finale on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. CT.
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