The Salukis couldn’t find a win when they traveled to Illinois State for a three-game series Friday through Sunday.

SIU (25-23, 9-9 Missouri Valley Conference) lost 8-1 Sunday to Illinois State (26-16, 8-8 MVC) as the Redbirds completed the three-game sweep.

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The Salukis took an early 1-0 lead in the second inning off an RBI sacrifice fly by senior catcher Brian Bajer, but freshman right-hander Sam Coonrod (2-4, 5.25 ERA) gave up five runs in the third and fourth innings to help seal the sweep for Illinois State.

The Salukis had another 1-0 lead against the Redbirds in Friday’s opener going into the bottom of the eighth inning, but ISU plated three runs off Saluki left-handed junior Cody Forsythe and took the 3-2 victory.

Forsythe (3-3, 3.12 ERA) took the loss despite going into the eighth inning with a one-hitter. He gave up three earned runs on five hits and struck out four in eight innings of work.

SIU didn’t fare any better Saturday, as it was on the wrong end of a 5-3 win by Illinois State. Senior right-hander Cameron Maldonado (6-1, 5.71 ERA) hurt his shoulder in the fourth inning, and sophomore right-hander Matt Murphy (2-4, 5.05 ERA) took the loss in relief.

Murphy gave up four runs on four hits in an inning and a third, but only one of the runs was earned.

SIU returns home 3 p.m. Friday to play a three-game series against second-place Indiana State.