EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Illinois State baseball program earned a 6-3 victory over Michigan State Friday evening at Jeff Ishbia Field at McLane Stadium.

Illinois State moves to 33-21 with the win and secures its fourth victory of the campaign over opponents from the Big Ten.

The Redbirds recorded their 29th win of the campaign when tallying a double-digit hit total with 13 hits. Four of Illinois State's hits were home runs to notch the Redbirds' sixth contest this season with at least three blasts.

Redshirt Sophomore Brayden Bakes tallied his team-best 29th multi-hit performance of the campaign with a 2-for-4 effort, including a double and a home run. The Algonquin, Ill., native now stands two hits shy of tying the school record for the most hits in a single season with 88 hits so far in 2026.

Junior Graham Matros followed Bakes' effort with a double and a home run of his own in the win. Mastros joins Bakes as the second Redbird this season to surpass 30 extra-base hits across the campaign.

Junior Ryan Bakes recorded his 13th multi-hit of the season with two hits, including a leadoff home run in the victory. 

Sophomore Eric Machej and Junior Jackson Manning each notched their second multi-hit game in the last three contests with a pair of hits in the victory.

The Redbirds opened the scoring with a leadoff blast from Ryan Bakes, giving Illinois State a 1-0 advantage in the first inning.

Trailing early, Michigan State looked to respond, as two walks and a wild pitch placed a pair of runners in scoring position. Despite the jam, Redshirt Sophomore Luke Teschke used a strikeout and a groundout to maintain the Redbirds' 1-0 lead after the first inning. 

In the third, after a leadoff single from Ryan Bakes, his twin brother, Brayden Bakes, tallied his 15th home run of the season to push Illinois State's advantage to 3-0. The Spartans later answered the home run by pulling two runs back in the home half with a pair of RBI singles, making the score 3-2.

After three scoreless frames, the Redbirds' offense reignited as Graduate Payton McHarg delivered a solo shot to right field to extend the Illinois State advantage to 4-2. Moments later, after Brayden Bakes doubled, Graham Mastros tallied his 14th home run of the campaign to grow the Redbirds' lead to 6-2.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Spartans opened the frame with back-to-back singles and a fielder's choice, placing runners on the corners to begin the inning. Michigan State later capitalized with an RBI single to make the score 6-3. The Spartans looked to continue their rally with a walk to load the bases, but the Redbirds used an inning-ending double play to escape the jam and maintain their advantage.

Junior Jacob Culp earned his first save at Illinois State after tossing 1.2 scoreless frames and adding two strikeouts to secure the Redbirds' Friday night victory.

NOTES

• Senior Thomas Harper earned his fourth victory of the campaign, tossing 4.1 scoreless innings and limiting the Spartans' offense to one hit in relief.

• The Wauwatosa, Wis. native, surpassed 150 career strikeouts with four in victory on Friday. 

• Junior Jacob Culp recorded his first save as a Redbird and added two strikeouts in the 1.2 innings pitched outing.

• Redshirt Sophomore Brayden Bakes tallied his team-best 29th multi-hit performance of the campaign with a 2-for-4 effort, including a double and a home run.

• The Algonquin, Ill., native stands two hits shy of tying the school record for the most hits in a single season with 86 hits so far in 2026.

• With his 15th home run of the season, Brayden Bakes now sits one home run shy of entering the program's top-10 list for home runs in a single season.

• Bakes scored two runs in the contest to surpass 50 runs scored this season and record the third straight season the Redbirds have had a player who has scored 50 or more runs for the first time since 1999-2001.

• Junior Graham Matros secured his 23rd multi-hit performance of the season and became the second Redbird this season to surpass 30 extra-base hits.

• Junior Ryan Bakes recorded his 13th multi-hit game of the season with two hits, including a leadoff home run in the victory.

• Sophomore Eric Machej and Junior Jackson Manning each recorded their second multi-hit game in the last three contests in Friday's win.

• Junior Luke Stulga recorded his sixth triple of the season in the contest and now sits tied for fifth in program history for the most in a single season.

• Graduate Payton McHarg launched his fourth home run of the campaign with a solo shot in the seventh.

• The Redbirds tallied four home runs in the victory and recorded their second contest with four or more blasts in the last three games. 

• With the home run total, Illinois State recorded its sixth game this season with at least three blasts.

• Illinois State improves to 29-2 in games with a double-digit hit total after recording 13 hits in the game.

• Friday's victory marked the first win over Michigan State for the Redbirds in the all-time series with the Spartans. 

• The Redbirds have now claimed four victories over opponents from the Big Ten, marking the most in a single season since 2005.

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