NORMAL, Ill. (Interstat) — Luke Stulga hit two home runs, including a grand slam in the seventh inning, and the Illinois State Redbirds erupted for 15 runs Tuesday to defeat the Eastern Illinois Panthers 15-4 at Duffy Bass Field.

The Redbirds improved to 30-20, while the Panthers fell to 28-19.

Eastern Illinois seized an early lead in the top of the first inning. Brett Stanley singled, Chris Worcester walked and James Love singled to load the bases. Mike O’Conor then crushed a grand slam to left field, giving the Panthers a 4-0 advantage.

Illinois State answered in the bottom of the second. Eric Mac homered to left center to cut the deficit to 4-1. Jackson Manning singled and Louis Bussard singled, and Manning scored on a groundout by Nolan Barry. Brayden Bakes followed with a two-run homer to right, tying the game at 4-4.

The Redbirds took the lead in the third. Mac singled, Manning doubled and Bussard delivered a two-run single that put Illinois State ahead 6-4. Eastern Illinois changed pitchers, bringing in Eddie Scaccia, but the Redbirds maintained the lead.

Illinois State extended its advantage in the fourth. Graham Mastros singled and Michael Carrano homered to center, scoring two runs for an 8-4 lead. Stulga added a solo homer in the sixth to make it 9-4.

The deciding rally came in the seventh. Manning singled, Bussard reached on an error and Nolan Barry singled to drive in a run. After a strikeout, Mastros singled to load the bases. Carrano walked, forcing in an unearned run. Stulga then launched a grand slam to left, his second homer of the game, to make it 15-4.

Eastern Illinois managed only seven hits, led by O’Conor’s grand slam and two hits from James Love and Ethan Rossi. The Panthers’ pitching staff allowed 18 hits, with Scaccia taking the loss.

Illinois State’s Brayden Zilis earned the win after pitching three scoreless innings in relief. Jacob Culp also pitched a scoreless inning. Stulga drove in five runs, Carrano had three RBIs and Bakes drove in two. Bussard collected two hits and two RBIs. Manning had three hits and scored three times. Mac had two hits.

The Panthers had been swept in a three-game home series by SIU Edwardsville over the weekend, losing 20-9, 16-4 and 3-2. Illinois State had split a weekend series at Illinois-Chicago, winning the opener 7-6 in 10 innings before losing 9-8 and 10-2.

Eastern Illinois will travel to Western Illinois for a three-game series beginning Thursday. Illinois State visits Michigan State for a three-game series starting Thursday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Illinois State 7, Eastern Illinois 6, and its ELO system gave the Redbirds a 57.60 percent probability to win.