PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – The Illinois State baseball program earned its fourth victory of the season to move to 4-1 to begin the 2026 campaign, after a 12-1 win in eight innings over UMass-Lowell at the Snowbird Classic in Port Charlotte, Fla.
Redshirt Sophomore Brayden Bakes led the way for Illinois State after recording his first three-hit performance of the season with a 3-for-3 performance, including his first home run of the season in the third inning. Bakes reached base in all five of his plate appearances on the day.
Senior Thomas Harper started for the Redbirds in the victory. Harper added four strikeouts on the day and limited the River Hawks to just three hits. Junior Michael Addari earned the win after entering in relief in the fourth inning and notched four shutout innings out of the bullpen. Addari recorded a career-best five strikeouts in the contest.
The Redbirds took advantage early in the opening frame of the contest as Junior Luke Stulga scored on a wild pitch to give Illinois State a 1-0 lead.
In the second inning, UMass-Lowell rallied by loading the bases to begin the frame. However, Harper forced a ground ball double play to end the inning and work out of the jam to preserve Illinois State's one-run lead.
Moments later in the third, the Redbirds extended their lead after a two-run blast from Brayden Bakes to make the score 3-0.
The Redbirds added to their lead in the fourth, as Stulga drove home Senior Josh Outlaw with an RBI single to move the score to 4-0. In the bottom half of the inning, the River Hawks pulled a run back to cut into the Illinois State lead and make the score 4-1. Harper faced another bases-loaded jam in the frame and forced his second double play of the game to maintain the Redbirds' advantage.
Later in the sixth inning of the contest, Illinois State worked itself into a bases-loaded situation after drawing a trio of walks, and took advantage of a fielding error to bring home all three runners to extend its lead to 7-1. With a pair of singles from Junior Graham Mastros and Sophomore Eric Machej, the Redbirds added to their lead to make the score 9-1. Machej later scored on a wild pitch to move Illinois State in front 10-1.
Junior Graham Mastros extended the Redbirds' lead in the eighth inning with a solo home run to make the score 11-1. Junior Michael Carrano notched his first hit as a Redbird in the inning with a double. Sophomore Louis Bussard added another run to make the score 12-1 with a sacrifice fly.
NOTES
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The Redbirds' 4-1 record to open 2026 is the best start through a five-game stretch under eighth-year head coach Steve Holm.
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Illinois State captures the first victory in the first meeting in the all-time series between the two programs
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The Redbirds' total of 12 runs matches their season-best in the season-opening contest at SEMO on Feb. 13.
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Senior Thomas Harper has allowed just two runs in his first two starts to open the 2026 season. The total marks the fewest in a two-game stretch in which Harper has pitched at least four innings in both contests. Harper added a season-best four strikeouts on the day.
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Junior Michael Addari earned his first win of the season after pitching four innings in relief. Addari notched a career-high five strikeouts on the day.
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Redshirt Sophomore Brayden Bakes recorded his first three-hit performance of the season and his seventh overall of his career. Bakes went 3-for-3 with a home run and a pair of RBIs.
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With a pair of hits on the day, Junior Luke Stulga earned his second two-hit performance of the season and his 13th of his career.
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Junior Graham Mastros' eight-inning home run is his fourth of the season, and matches his career best in a single season at Illinois State, just five games into 2026. Mastros recorded a pair of hits across the day for his multi-hit performance of the season.
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Junior Michael Carrano tallied his first hit as a Redbird with a double in the eighth inning. Carrano's hit also marks his first career hit at the Division I level.
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Junior Hunter Stencil debuted for the Redbirds, entering the contest defensively in the seventh inning.
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