Multiple timely hits throughout the afternoon led Illinois State (4-7) to an 8-7 victory over No. 13 Arkansas (7-4) on Tuesday. The victory is the second win for the Redbirds over a ranked opponent this season.

Joe Butler got the Redbirds on the board with a three-run shot to left field in the third inning to give Illinois State a 3-0 lead.

RBI singles by Heston Kjerstad and Martin gave the Razorbacks their first lead at 4-3 in the fifth inning. Jake McCaw hit a pinch-hit sacrifice fly in the sixth inning to score Tyson Hays and tie the game at 4-4.

Freshman Ryan Cermak laced a two-out single up the middle to score two runs in the sixth inning.

The Razorbacks added a run in the bottom half of the sixth to make it 6-5.

Jordan Libman plated two more runs in the eighth inning to extend the Illinois State lead to 8-5.

Arkansas scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth, but Colton Johnson got out of a jam to end the threat.

Connor Peplow pitched an 1 2/3, allowing a run on four hits with a strikeout to pick up the win. Colton Johnson threw a scoreless inning with three strikeouts for his first save. 

Butler and Cermak finished 2-for-5 with two and three RBIs, respectively. Libman finished 2-for-4. 

The Redbirds will travel to Jacksonville, Florida on Friday for a doubleheader beginning with a 1 p.m. matchup with Virginia Commonwealth. Illinois State will play Jacksonville in the second part of the doubleheader shortly after.