NORMAL, Ill. – P.J. Schuster threw a career-high eight innings Friday night, leading SIUE baseball to a 4-1 over Illinois State in the first game of a four-game nonconference series at Duffy Bass Field.

The win is the first for SIUE outside of Ohio Valley Conference play. The Cougars improved to 16-22. Illinois State dropped to 21-22.

Schuster, who struck on nine hitters in a seven-inning start a week ago, allowed just a single run on five hits. He did not walk a batter and he struck out eight to 6-3.  

"He was fantastic," SIUE Head Coach Tony Stoecklin said. "Tonight he was even more dominant than he was last week and against a better team. He had all three pitches working, he kept the ball down in the zone, and he could throw any pitch in any count. That's what made him so effective tonight.

The Cougars took advantage of throwing errors in the second and fifth innings to score all the runs they needed. With Parker Guinn on first in the second inning, Illinois State starter Will Headean threw wildly to first on a pickoff attempt. The errant throw allowed Guinn to get to third base. Skyler Geissinger then singled up the middle to put SIUE up 1-0. In the fifth inning Nick Lombardo was at first when Headean uncorked a second wild pickoff throw. Lombardo went to third and then scored on a double by Keaton Wright.

Headean (4-3) allowed the two runs on five hits over seven innings. He walked three and struck out five.

The Redbirds' lone run came in the bottom of the fifth. Jared Hendren doubled with one out and then scored on single by Mason Synder.

Jacob Stewart grounded into a fielder's choice with the bases loaded in the eighth to make it 3-1 SIUE. Wright added his second RBI double of the game in the ninth for the 4-1 final.

"We got timely hits," Stoecklin added. "We had guys on third base and we came up with the big hit. We found a way to get guys in. Jacob Stewart did a good job getting that run in from third with the bases loaded."

Schuster threw 112 pitches, and Stoecklin said there was no thought of sending the right-hander out for the ninth inning.

"He had done his work," Stoecklin said. "He did everything he could to get it to the ninth inning and I knew I was going to turn it over to Brett Thomas. Brett did a good job as well. His stuff was good."

Thomas pitched the scoreless ninth to earn his team-leading sixth save of the year.

Wright led SIUE at the plate. He was 3 for 5 with the two doubles and two RBIs. Alec Saikal had two hits and scored a run for SIUE.

The Cougars and Redbirds will continue the series with two seven-inning games Saturday. Game one of the doubleheader begins at noon.