The Illinois State baseball team fell, 7-4, at Valparaiso in Sunday's series finale at Emory G. Bauer Field.
Illinois State (18-25 overall, 8-8 Missouri Valley Conference) was led by three hits by sophomore Jake McCaw and home runs from senior Jordan Libman, freshman Ryan Cermak, and junior Jack Butler.
The Redbirds led 1-0 after two innings and 3-2 after four innings before Riley Dent recorded a key home run for Valparaiso (11-23 overall, 6-10 MVC) to put VU up two.
Libman led off the game with a home run down the right field line.
Valpo plated two unearned runs in the 3rd inning to take a 2-1 lead.
Cermak's two-run homer in the 4th put the Redbirds back up but Valparaiso tied it in the 5th at 3-3 and led 6-3 after seven innings.
A single by fourth-year junior Kyle Soberano cut the deficit to 6-4 but Valpo tacked on an insurance run that proved to be needed in the bottom of the 8th.
Jack Butler blasted a two-run home run in the 9th, but the Redbirds were unable to scratch across another run.
Valpo took the series opener Friday, 3-2. The Redbirds rebounded to take the opener of a Saturday doubleheader 12-3 but dropped the second game 17-13.
Illinois State is scheduled to travel to MVC-leader Dallas Baptist for four games starting Friday.