MURRAY, Ky. – The Illinois State baseball team fell, 6-2, at Murray State on Friday at Johnny Reagan Field.
Friday was originally scheduled to be a double header but after the team's played a Division I-long 16 inning-game on Thursday, the coaches agreed to just play one contest on Friday.
Offensively Illinois State (6-6) was led by two RBIs from fourth-year junior Connor Olson as four Redbirds had exactly two hits.
Fourth-year junior Derek Salata had a team-high seven strikeouts in relief.
Murray State (10-4) now has a 11-game home winning streak.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Olson was plunked with the bases loaded in the 1st inning to force in sixth-year senior Aidan Huggins, who recorded a double in the inning.
Murray State scored three runs in the 2nd inning to lead 3-1.
The 'Birds got one back in the 6th inning on an Olson RBI single. ISU had 2nd and 3rd in both the 6th and 7th innings but came up empty beyond the Olson RBI single.
A three-spot in the 8th inning by the Racers put MSU up 6-2.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- 1-5 in the ISU order went 9-20 while 6-9 in the ISU order combined to go 0-13.
- Third-year sophomore Ryan Cermak reached four times via a pair of singles and two walks. He added a stolen base.
- After Sacramento State conceded its first unearned run of 2022 on Tuesday, Illinois State is the only team in the country that has not given up an unearned run.
UP NEXT
Illinois State will play a home-and-home series with undefeated and 21st-ranked Purdue starting on Thursday. The Thursday and Friday games will be played at Illinois State while the Saturday and Sunday games will be played at Purdue.
For the latest updates on Illinois State Baseball, stay tuned at GoRedbirds.com, follow the Redbirds on Twitter (@RedbirdBaseball) and Instagram (isuredbirdbaseball), and like the team on Facebook (Illinois State Baseball).
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