Redbirds Fall Late To Evansville Friday Evening

EVANSVILLE, Ind. –  The Illinois State baseball program fell late to Evansville 5-2, Friday evening at German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium. With the loss, Illinois State falls to 3-1 in conference play through four games and 17-9 overall in 2026. 

The Redbirds took advantage of a pair of hits and a Purple Aces error to load the bases in the opening frame of the contest. With the bases loaded, Senior Josh Outlaw opened the scoring with an infield RBI single to give Illinois State the lead at 1-0. A batter later, Junior Ryan Bakes drove in another run on a sacrifice fly to make the score 2-0. 

In the bottom half, Evansville looked to respond as the Purple Aces opened the inning with two hits to put a pair of runners on in the frame. With the first two hitters on, Senior Thomas Harper bounced back by striking out the side to maintain the Redbird lead at 2-0. The following inning, Harper worked out of another jam to keep the lead as the Purple Aces loaded the bases with two outs with a single and a pair of walks. 

Evansville evened the score in the fourth after opening the frame with back-to-back singles. With two runners aboard, the Purple Aces added their first run with an RBI single to make the score 2-1. Later, following a strikeout and a throw down to second, Evansville scored a runner from third to tie the score at 2-2. 

In the sixth inning, Evansville looked to take the lead after loading the bases with two walks, including a hit-by-pitch and a single. Senior Shuto Tiger Okumura worked out of the jam with an inning-ending double play with a diving effort from Sophomore Eric Machej to preserve the score at 2-2. 

With the score tied entering the bottom half of the ninth, the Purple Aces placed two runners into scoring position following a pair of walks earlier in the frame. Moments later, Evansville homered to right field to secure the 5-2 victory. 

NOTES 

• Senior Thomas Harper matched his career-high strikeout total with eight in the contest. 

• Senior Shuto Tiger Okumura added a career-best three strikeouts after entering in relief in the fifth inning. Okumura notched his longest outing of the season with 3.2 innings pitched in the game. 

• With two hits in the contest, Redshirt Sophomore Brayden Bakes tallied his team-best 17th multi-hit game of the season. Bakes has recorded two or more hits in nine of the last 10 games. 

• Junior Graham Mastros notched two hits in the game to tally his 13th game this season with at least two hits. 

• Sophomore Eric Machej and Senior Josh Outlaw recorded their sixth contest this season with two or more hits. 

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