NORMAL, Ill. - Illinois State plated five runs over the last two innings to steal an 8-7 victory over the Milwaukee baseball team Tuesday evening at Duffy Bass Field.
 
First-inning home runs from Daulton Varsho and Mike Jordahl were not enough for the Panthers (16-26), who saw their win streak in the all-time series against the Redbirds (12-31) get snapped at four games.
 
The late rally also spoiled big days from Varsho and Jordahl, who combined for seven hits.
 
The Redbirds kept sticking around and, with two runs in the eighth, were within two on the scoreboard as the bottom of the ninth rolled around. A combination of four hits and two errors won it, sending UWM to the tough defeat.
 
Varsho had a big game, finishing 4-for-4 with the home run, a double and three runs scored. Jordahl finished 3-for-4 with four runs batted in.
 
The Panthers wasted little time getting the offense going, putting up a crooked number on the scoreboard before most of the fans were in their seats.
 
Varsho got things started with two outs and the bases empty, sending a 3-2 pitch down the rightfield line for his ninth home run of the season. An error extended the frame before John Boidanis singled, putting two runners on base for the crushed home run off the bat of Jordahl that made the score 4-0.
 
Jared Reklaitis started, working the first two innings as part of six UWM pitchers to see action on the day. Alex Fischer worked in and out of trouble in his 3.0 innings, combining four strikeouts to help balance the three hits allowed as well as a trio of hit batters to limit his output to one run.
 
Illinois State cut the deficit in half with single runs in the second and third. Milwaukee responded, getting a run in the fifth when Varsho scored on a wild pitch and two more on the seventh. Ben Chally earned a sac fly-RBI after lacing a pitch to center and Jordahl knocked in Varsho with a base knock to left to make it 7-3 at the time.
 
Play continues for the Panthers on Saturday. The team heads to Chicago to take on UIC in a twinbill, set to start at 11 a.m. – which is one hour earlier than was originally on the schedule.