CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Indiana State was not able to fully complete the comeback on Tuesday night at Illinois Field as the Sycamores fell to the host Fighting Illini in nonconference play, 8-6.
 
Eli Gipson homered twice, while Carlos Pena and Carter Beck also went deep as Indiana State (9-12) brought the power bats to the ballpark on Tuesday night. However, Illinois (11-7) utilized a Jack Zebig's three-run home run in a six-run second inning and Jacob Schroeder added a solo shot in the third inning as the Illini held off the Sycamores in a rematch of the NCAA Lexington Regional matchup from the 2024 season.
 
Beck homered to lead off the game and the Sycamores added a second run on a play that featured two of Illinois' four errors in the contest as Indiana State looked to seize control of the game early. Illinois responded in the bottom of the second inning off Sycamore starter Breyllin Suriel (0-2) with a six-run second inning in which the Illini sent 10 batters to the plate highlighted by Zebig's three-run home run to take control of the game early.
 
The Sycamores continued to battle back in the contest as Gipson homered twice and Pena added a solo shot of his own, while strong pitching out of the bullpen from Jack Armstrong and Zac Laird kept the game within reach in the late innings.
 
Indiana State put runners on base in each of the final four innings highlighted by Carter Beck's sixth-inning single and Jackson Taylor's two-out double in the eighth, but the Sycamores were unable to string together the rally to complete the comeback in the midweek defeat to the Illini.
 
Beck, Pena, Gipson, and Taylor all posted multi-hit games in the loss highlighted by Gipson's pair of hoem runs, while Taylor recorded his first collegiate two-double game. Zach Henderson added an infield single as the Sycamores connected on nine hits in the loss.
 
Suriel took the loss, allowing seven hits and six runs over 1.2 innings in his third start of the 2025 season. Colby Morse worked 1.2 innings in relief allowing three hits and two runs, before turning the ball over to Armstrong in the fourth. Armstrong worked 3.1 scoreless innings with a trio of strikeouts, while Laird went the final 1.1 frames with two additional strikeouts to give Indiana State the chance to keep the game in play late.
 
Zebig, Valicius, and Collin Jennings all had multi-hit games for the host Illini as all nine batters in the starting lineup reached base in the contest. Jennings and Coltin Quagliano both doubled, while Zebig and Schroeder homered in the win.
 
Jake Swartz (1-0) picked up the win allowing two hits and two runs while striking out two in relief. Ryan Daly went the first 4.0 innings allowing four hits and four runs (three earned), while striking out four. Evan Clark, Zach Bates, and Luke Weber all turned scoreless innings on the mound before Reed Gannon (S, 1) went a scoreless ninth inning in his first save of the season.
 
How They Scored

• Carter Beck homered on the first pitch of the game as the Sycamore centerfielder connected on the opening offering and put it over the wall in left center to give Indiana State the early 1-0 lead.
• The Sycamores made it 2-0 in the top of the first as Carlos Pena scored on Zach Henderson's fielder's choice to give Indiana State the early two-run lead.
• Illinois responded with six runs in the bottom of the second inning highlighted by Jack Zebig's three-run home run over the left field wall. Nick Groves, Grant Ross, and Coltin Quagliano all drove in RBIs in the inning to give the Illini the 6-2 lead.
• Indiana State responded in the top of the third inning as Eli Gipson connected on a solo home run over the wall in left center to cut the deficit down to 6-3.
• Jacob Schroeder answered for the Illini in the bottom of the frame with a solo home run down the left field line to put the margin at 7-3.
• Jackson Taylor doubled in the top of the fourth and then came around to score on a wild pitch to put the score at 7-4 after the Sycamore at-bats in the frame.
• Vytas Valincius singled home Ross in the bottom of the fourth to give Illinois the 8-4 lead.
• The Sycamores tallied their final two runs in the top of the fifth inning. Carlos Pena connected on a shot deep over the wall in right center for a solo home run to make it an 8-5 ballgame.
• Gipson followed two batters later with his second home run of the game, this one to left center, to provide the final 8-6 scoring margin. 

News & Notes

• Eli Gipson became the second Sycamore with a multi-homer game this season joining Keegan Garis (Mar. 14 vs. Pacific).
• Gipson and Pena's home runs in the fifth inning marked the fourth time this season Indiana State has had multiple players homer in the same inning and first since Garis and Gipson both went deep in the sixth inning on March 14 against Pacific.
• Gipson's pair of home runs at Illinois Field marked the second consecutive season an Indiana State player has hit multiple home runs in the same game against the Illini. Parker Stinson achieved the feat last season on April 30, 2024, with a two-run home run and a grand slam in the Sycamores' 21-11 loss to the Illini.
• Indiana State's four home runs on the day equaled their single-game high in 2025 set back on February 16, 2025, against Wagner.
• Carlos Pena ran his team-leading on-base streak to 15 consecutive games on Tuesday evening.
• Jack Armstrong worked a season-best 3.1 innings in relief on Tuesday.

Up Next
Indiana State returns home to Bob Warn Field for the start of Missouri Valley Conference play this weekend. The Sycamores welcome Valparaiso for a three-game series starting Friday, March 21, with first pitch set for 6:30 p.m. All three games will be carried live on ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend.
 
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