Weston Fulk and Camden Karczewski Lead Illinois Offense

Indiana State University secured a series victory over Illinois State University on April 12, 2026, following a dominant performance by first baseman Weston Fulk and strong pitching from Johnsen. The victory took place at Duffy Bass Field in a Missouri Valley Conference series.

Weston Fulk led the Sycamores’ offense during the final game of the series, recording four RBIs. Three of those runs were the result of home runs, helping the team overcome a hitting slump that had previously seen Fulk’s batting average drop below .200.

Sunday Game Highlights

The game began with a scoreless first inning for Indiana State. In the bottom of the first, Illinois State’s Graham Mastros hit a triple to lead off the inning but was ultimately left on base.

Indiana State took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Designated hitter Jeremy Martinez reached base with a single to right field before Fulk hit a two-run home run over the left field wall, scoring Martinez.

Illinois State attempted to rally in the bottom of the third inning when Ryan Bakes hit a high fly ball that Indiana State left fielder Caleb Niehaus lost in the clouds. The Redbirds eventually put a run on the scoreboard when Camden Karczewski hit an RBI double down the left field line, scoring Josh Outlaw to bring the score to 2-1.

Indiana State maintained control for the remainder of the contest, with Fulk adding further damage in the top of the eighth inning. The Sycamores finished the game with six runs, four of which were accounted for by Fulk.

Illinois State Lineup Challenges

Illinois State head coach Steve Holm noted that the Redbirds utilized an unconventional lineup for the April 12 game, which included changes to the batting order and the absence of several regular starters.

A significant loss for the Redbirds was the absence of Michael Carrano Jr. From the four-hole in the batting order due to a hamstring injury sustained on April 11, 2026.

We’ve been trying to find a way to get this thing going, because we obviously have hitters that can hit. We’ve been kind of all or nothing,.so we’ve been trying to find a recipe that’s a little more consistent.

Steve Holm, Illinois State Head Coach

Series Context

The April 12 victory served as the rubber match to decide the series. Prior to this result, the series had been tied following a game on April 11, 2026.

On April 11, Illinois State defeated Indiana State with a score of 6-4. Ryan Bakes led the Redbirds’ offense in that contest, recording three RBIs. During the same game, Weston Fulk contributed to the Sycamores’ effort by hitting a single that scored Nomar Garcia.

The series concluded with Indiana State taking the overall victory, supported by the combined efforts of Fulk’s offensive surge and Johnsen’s pitching performance, which limited the Redbirds’ scoring opportunities.