Redbirds Fall To MTSU In Series Opener Friday Afternoon

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. –   The Illinois State baseball program fell to MTSU, 13-3 in seven innings Friday afternoon at Reese Smith Jr. Field in Murfreesboro, Tenn. 

The Redbirds jumped out to a 1-0 lead after Redshirt Sophomore Brayden Bakes homered to right to give Illinois State an advantage in the first inning. Bakes has homered in back-to-back contests for the first time in his career. In the bottom half of the opening frame, the Blue Raiders responded with a two-run home run to take a 2-1 lead. 

In the second inning, Freshman Brayden Zilis tallied the first hit of his collegiate career with a triple, and later scored on an error on the play to tie the contest at 2-2. Later in the home half of the frame, MTSU used a double and a pair of walks to load the bases. With the bases loaded, a sacrifice fly reclaimed the lead at 3-2 for the Blue Raiders.  

The Blue Raiders added to their advantage in the bottom of the third with a three-run frame to move the score 6-2. In the fifth, MTSU added a pair of runs to grow its lead to 8-2. With a five-run sixth inning, the Blue Raiders extended their lead to 13-2. 

In the seventh inning, Senior Josh Outlaw doubled and later scored on a passed ball to make the score 13-3. 

NOTES 

• Freshman Brayden Zilis made his first start of his collegiate career and earned his first career hit with a triple in the second inning. 

• Junior Hunter Stencil recorded his first career Division I hit with a base knock in the second inning. 

• With a two-hit performance, Redshirt Sophomore Brayden Bakes has tallied two or more hits in four of the last five games. 

• Senior Josh Outlaw extended his hitting streak to seven games with a double in the seventh inning. With one run scored, Outlaw has scored in the Redbirds' previous six contests. 

• Redshirt Junior Joey Wilmoth made his first appearance of the season, entering the contest in relief.   

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