NORMAL, Ill. (Interstat) — The Illinois State Redbirds broke open a tight game with a five-run eighth inning to complete a three-game Missouri Valley Conference sweep of the Belmont Bruins with a 9-3 victory Sunday at Duffy Bass Field.

The game, which began in the afternoon and concluded in the evening, saw the Redbirds improve to 16-7 overall, while the Bruins fell to 8-16.

Illinois State starter Luke Teschke was the catalyst for the win, delivering six strong innings to earn the victory. The right-hander allowed just two hits and one earned run while striking out four, effectively neutralizing the Belmont offense after a shaky outing in his previous start.

Belmont managed only four hits all afternoon, with Brady Holbrook providing the early highlight. His solo home run to right field in the top of the fourth inning gave the Bruins a 3-2 lead, one of their few bright spots on the day.

The Redbirds, however, chipped away and then exploded late. They tied the game in the sixth on a solo homer from left fielder Brayden Bakes, then took a 4-3 lead later in the inning on an RBI single by Ryan Bakes that scored Luke Stulga, who had doubled.

The contest remained a one-run affair until the decisive bottom of the eighth. With the score 4-3, the Redbirds sent 10 men to the plate. The inning was fueled by three doubles and two intentional walks. Ryan Bakes led off with a double and scored on a single by Payton McHarg. After a sacrifice bunt and a groundout, Nolan Barry drove in McHarg with a single. Camden Karczewski followed with an RBI double, and after an intentional walk to Brayden Bakes, Graham Mastros delivered the crushing blow—a two-run double to left-center field that cleared the bases and extended the lead to 9-3.

The offensive outburst made a winner of Teschke and rendered moot a late Belmont rally in the seventh. The Bruins had scored two unearned runs that inning on a sacrifice fly by JD Whitworth and a pinch-hit RBI single from Gardner Lawrence to knot the game at 4-4, but could not sustain the momentum.

Illinois State reliever Reece Clapp sealed the win with two perfect innings, striking out one. The Redbirds’ bullpen, combining with Teschke, held Belmont hitless over the final three frames.

The most important part of the game was Illinois State’s five-run eighth inning, which transformed a narrow 4-3 lead into a commanding 9-3 advantage. This outburst, featuring four hits including three for extra bases, demoralized the Belmont pitching staff and definitively secured the series sweep for the Redbirds.

The victory followed the pattern of the weekend, where Illinois State won 10-4 on Saturday and 9-4 on Friday. The Redbirds’ 12-hit attack Sunday was led by multi-hit games from Brayden Bakes, Ryan Bakes, Karczewski and Stulga. Belmont starter Ridge Harvey took the loss, allowing two earned runs on no hits over four innings, but walking four.

Belmont looks to rebound Tuesday at home against Lipscomb. Illinois State hosts Iowa on Tuesday before resuming conference play on the road next weekend at Evansville.