Novak Home Run Lifts RedHawks Past Redbirds

Sunday, February 22

Port Charlotte, Fla.

12 p.m.

Miami University

6-1

Illinois State

5-2

MIami

Illinois State

Novak Home Run Lifts RedHawks Past Redbirds

2/22/2026 3:48:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – Miami emerged from the Snowbird Baseball Classic with a 3-1 record after beating Illinois State 5-3 on Sunday. Ryan Novak hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning that helped propel the RedHawks to victory. Miami improves to 6-1 with the win, while ISU falls to 5-2.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The RedHawks scored first, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. Tommy Harrison singled and Marcus Dierks took an HBP. Matthew Buffington walked and Diego Cruz delivered a sac fly to score the run.
Illinois State responded with two runs of their own in the second on a two-run blast.
After four scoreless innings, Novak broke the silence with a three-run homer in the top of the seventh. The home run scored Dominic Krupinski, who had singled, and Evan Appelwick, who had walked, to make it 4-2.
The Redbirds pulled within one in the bottom of the seventh on a sac fly after a walk and a double.
The RedHawks scored one more run in the top of the ninth to cap off a 5-3 victory. Appelwick walked and Harrison singled, allowing the run to score on a fielder's choice by Dierks.

MIAMI GAME NOTES:

Harrison went 2-for-4 with a run.
Novak went 1-for-5 with three RBIs and a run.
Cruz went 1-for-2 with an RBI.
Appelwick earned three walks.
Clayton Burke pitched 6.0 innings, holding opponents to four hits and two runs while striking out five.

UP NEXT:
The RedHawks are set to face Southern Illinois on the road this Wednesday, Feb. 25 before traveling to Southeast Missouri for a three-game series.