Illinois State baseball swept the Western Illinois Leathernecks in a double header victory on Friday at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium.
Game 1: ISU 10, WIU 7
The Redbirds wasted no time getting it going, ISU got off to a fast start in the top of the first inning, collecting three straight hits to load the bases. Juniors Luke Stulga and Ryan Bakes each lifted sacrifice flies, bringing home two runs early.
WIU answered with a RBI groundout in the bottom half of the inning. In the bottom of the second inning, the Panthers used a pair of RBI singles to move in front, and added another run in the third on a sacrifice fly.
The Redbirds responded in the fourth after Bakes hit a double to put a runner in scoring position. Kannon Coakley followed with his first run of the season, a two-run shot that evened the game.
Thomas Harper started pitcher on the mound for the Redbirds and pitched for five innings. The senior recorded five strikeouts, allowed nine hits, one walk and six runs.
WIU regained the lead later in the inning with a solo home run. The Redbirds responded in the fifth when Graham Mastros launched his sixth home run of the season. The Leathernecks found a way to respond again with a solo home run later in the inning.
Tresdon Rybarczyk came in for Harper and pitched for one inning. He recorded two strikeouts, allowing five hits, one walk and one run.
In the seventh, sacrifice flies from Mastros and Stulga drove in two runners. The Panthers tied the game for the last time with an RBI single to tie the game 7-7.
The Redbirds put together another rally in the next inning, beginning with two runners reaching base on walks and hit-by-pitch. The Redbirds then took advantage of a WIU throwing error to move ahead. The Redbirds added insurance later in the inning as another run scored on a fielder’s choice before Mastros brought in an additional run with a sacrifice fly.
Lucas Foley came in for the last two innings to help secure the Redbirds victory. The junior recorded three strikeouts, allowed two hits, and walked a Leatherneck.
Game 2: ISU 7, WIU 1
With Camden Karczewski on second from a fielding error by the Leathernecks, Stulga’s bat connected with a double down the right field line, giving Karczewski room to touch home.
In the next inning, Michael Carrano earned himself an RBI after hitting a single to right field. The Leathernecks rushed to get the ball thrown to home plate, but the runner beat the tag at the plate. Carrano was able to score later in the inning off of an error by the opponents catcher.
Michael Addari gave up his only run of the day in the third inning. With one out and a runner on third base, Wandel Campana grounded out to shortstop but still brought home a run. Joe Connolly scored easily on the play, giving Campana an RBI as the defense recorded the out at first.
Addari pitched five strong innings, recorded six strikeouts, allowed three hits, two walks and one run.
The Redbirds bats lit up in the sixth inning, with Mastros helping the scoring for ISU with a double to center field that drove in Karczewski and moved Bakes to third.
Moments later, Bakes crossed the plate on a wild pitch by a Northern pitcher, while Mastros advanced to third.
The Redbirds kept the momentum going as Stugla delivered a single to center field that brought Mastros home, pushing the Redbirds ahead 6-1.
With one out and Jackson Natanek on third, Karczewski grounded out to second base to score the run.
ISU pitcher Nolan Girard came in for Addari in the sixth inning and recorded two innings with four strikeouts, allowing two hits and one walk.
With both road wins, the Redbirds improved to 12-7.
Antoine Randle is a sports reporter for The Vidette. Randle can be contacted at arandl3@ilstu.edu. Follow Randle on X at @a_randle11.
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