NORMAL, Ill. - - Belmont (25-29, 12-14 MVC) and Illinois State (27-25, 15-11 MVC) resumed their series Friday afternoon at Duffy Bass Field. Illinois State's Noah Rabin hit a walk-off solo home run in the 11
th inning to lift the Redbirds to a 4-3 win.
Bruin Bullets
The first three frames were relatively quiet for both teams. Illinois State scored two runs on three hits in the bottom of the fourth. The Redbirds scored on a sacrifice fly and RBI double with two outs.
The Redbirds made it a 3-0 game in the fifth inning on another sacrifice fly.
Belmont climbed back within one run in the sixth inning.
Blake Barton walked with one out and stole second.
Landon Godsey walked in the next at-bat.
Pete Daniel hit a single to right field that scored Barton.
Max Blessinger drove in Godsey on a sacrifice fly to left field. Belmont trailed 3-2 after the sixth.
The Bruins tied the game in the top of the eighth.
Brodey Heaton led off the inning with a double to left field. Godsey hit a sacrifice fly two batters later that scored Heaton. The game was tied 3-3.
Blake Ciuffetelli replaced
Jett Thielke in the home half on the mound. Ciuffetelli struck out the first two batters of his 1-2-3 inning.
Bill Duby pitched his way out of a jam in the bottom of the ninth. With two runners and one out, Duby struck out the next two batters and sent the game into extra innings.
Illinois State walked it off in the 11
th inning. Rabin hit a leadoff home run to right field to win the game 4-3 and tie the series.
Belmont and Illinois close out the regular season and series tomorrow at 1 p.m. Fans can stream the game on ESPN+ or follow along with live stats.
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