14-Run 7th inning highlights 22-4 win at Western Illinois

[May 05, 2014]  NORMAL – Illinois State (30-15) sent 19 batters to the plate in a 14-run seventh inning en route to a 22-7 seven inning victory over Western Illinois (18-24) Sunday afternoon at Boyer Stadium. The Redbirds have now secured five-consecutive 30-win seasons, all of which have come under the guidance of fifth-year head coach Mark Kingston. Sunday’s win also marks the most runs ISU has scored in a game since defeating Tennessee Tech, 28-2, Feb. 26, 2012.

The Redbirds tallied a season-best 22 runs on 16 hits and drew 13 walks. Mike Hollenbeck clubbed three hits and extended his on-base streak to 10-conesecutive plate-appearances. Brock Stewart added a career-best five RBI, Joe Kelch had two hits and drove home two runs and Mason Snyder secured his first-career three-hit day.

Jeremy Rhoades (6-3) worked six innings and allowed four runs, three earned, with eight strikeouts for the win. Ben Hecht worked a scoreless seventh inning with one strikeout in relief. Western Illinois used seven pitchers. Starter John White (1-4) was chased from the game after one inning and allowed five runs, three earned, for the loss.
 

Illinois State scored five runs in the top of the first inning. Sean Beesley opened the frame with a single and advanced to second on Daniel Dwyer’s walk. Paul DeJong bounced out to short, advancing Beesley and Dwyer into scoring position. The Leathernecks then intentionally walked Mike Hollenbeck to load the bases. Kelch roped a groundball that WIU third baseman Tanner Glore kicked for an error, allowing Beesley to score from third. Stewart then lined a two-run single and Snyder added a run-scoring knock to give the Redbirds a 5-0 lead.

WIU tallied an unearned run off Rhoades in the bottom of the first inning, but Illinois State rallied back with a three-run second inning. Kelch ripped a RBI-single and Stewart scored two on a double to put ISU on top, 8-1.

Rhoades settled into a groove on the mound, striking out the side in the bottom of the second inning. He added multi-strikeout innings in the third and fourth frames before running into trouble in the sixth inning. Two of the first three batters clubbed doubles in a three-run, two-hit inning that cut the ISU lead in half, 8-4.

In the seventh inning, Illinois State batted around twice to put the game away. Tyler Stoltz walked the first three batters of the inning on 12 pitches and was lifted from the game for Mason Pingel. Beesley roped a two-run single to open the scoring. He would add another two-run single before the inning was over. Hollenbeck slapped a pair of one-run singles, Kelch doubled home two runs, Dennis Colon drew a bases-loaded walk and Stewart and Snyder each had RBI-singles. Additionally, Western Illinois made three errors in the inning.

Hecht worked a scoreless seventh inning to end the game.

Illinois State will not play any mid-week games this week due to end of the semester final exams. The Redbirds return to action Friday night at Evansville for a Missouri Valley Conference tilt. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m.

[Text received from RONAN O'SHEA, Illinois State University]

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