EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Illinois State baseball program fell in the series finale with Michigan State, 18-8, on Saturday afternoon at Jeff Ishbia Field at McLane Stadium.
Redshirt Sophomore Brayden Bakes set a new program record for hits in a single season with a four-hit effort, including a home run and a trio of singles in the contest. The Algonquin, Ill. native surpassed former Redbirds Owen Miller and Joe Aeilts' record with 90 hits in 2026. Bakes added three RBIs in the game to tally his 52nd RBI for the season, making him the 10th different Redbird in program history to achieve at least 50 RBIs in a single season.
The Redbirds took an early advantage after Brayden Bakes homered to left center to give Illinois State a 1-0 lead in the opening moments of the contest. Michigan State later answered in the home half as an RBI groundout evened the score at 1-1.
With the score tied, the Spartans claimed the lead following an RBI double and an RBI triple, which plated two runs to make the score 3-1 in the bottom of the second.
Trailing entering the third, Illinois State loaded the bases after a leadoff hit-by-pitch by Ryan Bakes, and back-to-back singles from Brayden Bakes and Junior Graham Mastros. Junior Michael Carrano Jr. pulled a run back on a groundout to cut the deficit to 3-2. Moments later, Junior Luke Stulga delivered an RBI single to tie the score at 3-3.
As the Redbirds evened the score, Michigan State answered back with back-to-back walks to open the inning and place a pair of runners on. The Spartans later advanced both runners into scoring position to set up a sacrifice fly to reclaim the lead at 4-3.
With Michigan State leading once more, Sophomore Eric Machej reached on a leadoff single to open the frame in the top of the fourth. Moments later, Ryan Bakes launched his 12th home run of the season to give Illinois State a 5-4 advantage. Despite the answer from the Redbirds, Michigan State responded with back-to-back singles, including an RBI single to even the score at 5-5.
As the Spartans evened the score in the fourth, they continued their rally entering the fifth, as after a leadoff double, Michigan State homered to left to claim the lead at 7-5. Moments later, the Spartans tallied their second home run of the frame to extend their advantage to 8-5.
In the sixth, the Redbirds battled back as a pair of walks and a single loaded the bases to set up a two-RBI single from Brayden Bakes to cut the deficit to 8-7 and secure the single-season hit record. As Illinois State chipped into the Spartans' lead, Michigan State responded with a solo shot to take a 9-7 advantage.
Illinois State looked to rally in the top of the seventh as Stulga reached on a hit-by-pitch and Graduate Camden Karczewski reached on a pinch-hit single to put two runners to open the frame. After a sacrifice bunt from Machej to move the runners into scoring position, the Redbirds threatened, but Michigan State escaped the jam to maintain its 9-7 lead.
In the home half of the seventh after stranding a pair of runners, Michigan State extended its lead with an RBI single to make the score 10-7.
The Redbirds responded in the top of the eighth after a single from Bakes and a Spartan's error, Carrano Jr singled up the middle to drive in a run and make the score 10-8.
In the bottom of the eighth, Michigan State's offense rallied after a leadoff single and walk set up a three-run home run to give the Spartans a 13-8 lead. Moments later, Michigan State added an RBI single to plate their fourth run of the frame and extended their lead to 14-8. After a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases, the Spartans capitalized with a grand slam to secure the run-rule victory at 18-8.
NOTES
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Redshirt Sophomore Brayden Bakes secured the Illinois State baseball single-season hit record with 90 hits in 2026 after matching a career-best with a four-hit effort in the regular season finale on Saturday.
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Bakes tallied his team-leading 30th multi-hit performance of the season and his fifth career game with four hits.
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With three RBIs in the contest, Bakes surpassed 50 RBIs this season and became the 10th different Redbird in program history to record 50 or more RBIs in a single season.
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The Algonquin, Ill. native's home run in the first inning marked his 16th of the campaign, and he now sits tied for ninth in Illinois State history for his single-season home run total.
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Junior Ryan Bakes joined his twin brother with his 12th blast of the season with a two-run blast in the fourth inning.
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The Bakes brothers have each homered in three contests this season and accomplished the feat in back-to-back games for the first time with a pair of homers on Saturday.
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Junior Luke Stulga tallied his 23rd multi-hit performance of the season in a 2-for-4 effort in the contest.
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