Illinois State Tops Valparaiso, 10-3, to Conclude 2023 Season

VALPARAISO, Ind. – The Illinois State baseball team cruised past Valparaiso, 10-3, on Saturday at Emory G. Bauer Field in the Redbirds' final game of the 2023 season after falling one game behind the Beacons in the Missouri Valley Conference standings and missing the MVC Tournament.

Fifth-year senior Derek Salata struck out nine over seven innings in his final start while freshman Daniel Pacella blasted his 16^th home run and tallied with 55^th and 56^th RBIs of the 2023 season.

Third-year junior Luke Cheng recorded three hits for a seven-hit weekend and third-year junior Auggie Rasmussen had three hits and three steals.

Valparaiso moves to 20-25 overall, 10-17 MVC and secured the eight-seed in the MVC Tournament.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Freshman Luke Lawrence led off the game with his 10^th double of the campaign before ultimately coming home on a errant pick-off attempt.

Valparaiso tied the game in the 3^rd inning, but Pacella smacked a solo home run prior to third-year sophomore Nick Strong's bases-loaded, ground double pushed the ISU lead to 4-1.

The Beacons scored once in the 6^th inning, but Pacella laced a single to right field and second-year sophomore Noah Rabin drove in another Redbird to lead 6-2.

Valparaiso got on the board in the 8^th inning but were limited to just one run as the 'Birds induced a double-play with runners on first and third to escape the inning.

The 'Birds added four insurance runs in the final frame as Cheng doubled inside the left field line before ISU drew a pair of walks. Lawrence concluded his stellar weekend with an RBI knock through the right side to score the Redbirds' 10^th run.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Salata finishes 2023 with 88 strikeouts, the second-highest total by a Redbird since 2015 (115 by Brent Headrick in 2019).

• Rasmussen recorded his eighth multi-steal game of the season.

• Second-year sophomore JT Soklove reached 10 steals for the season with a pair of steals.

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