NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State protected their home diamond by collecting a 2-1 win over Butler on Sunday afternoon. BU broke a scoreless tie in the top of the eighth inning, but a solo score in the bottom half of the frame followed by a run in the bottom of the ninth would lead the Redbirds to victory.
 
Tyler Houston went 2-for-4 with two doubles and a run scored and fellow senior Gehrig Parker would be responsible for the team's only RBI of the day. That duo supplied Butler with four of their seven hits at Illinois State.
 
Houston pushed BU on top with a two-out double to left center in the eighth and Parker would follow in the order with a two-bagger to right.
 
The 1-0 lead would not last as BU walked the first two batters of the eighth. Two outs would follow, but an RBI single from Hays would knot the score 1-1.
 
The difference maker on Sunday would come in the ninth with a bit of small ball. Aeilts singled to lead off the inning and would move around to second off a sac bunt. A BU throwing error advanced Aeilts from second to third and a sac fly from Parola ended the game.
 
Ryan Pepiot threw against Matt Walker on the mound. The pitching duel featured 6.1 innings out of Pepiot who ended the contest with 10 strikeouts and just one walk. The loss landed on Connor Schultz (2-1).
 
BU will return to action on Tuesday, May 1 with a 6 PM contest vs. Indiana State. The game will be played in downtown Indianapolis at Victory Field.