Redbirds Complete Sweep with 7-4 Win at Wichita State

[April 13, 2015]  WICHITA, Kan. – The Illinois State baseball team completed a three-game sweep of Wichita State with a 7-4 win over the Shockers in front of 3,003 fans Sunday at Eck Stadium’s Tyler Field.

The Redbirds got a solid start from right-hander Jack Landwehr, who gave up just three runs (two earned) over five innings of work, and the lower half of the Redbird lineup came through for the second day in a row, as the bottom five in Illinois State’s lineup collected seven of the team’s 10 hits.

“I challenged the guys to come out today and not be content with a series win,” said Illinois State head coach Bo Durkac. “We wanted to go out and play, have good at-bats, execute pitches, and trust the results will fall as they may.”

Illinois State (17-15, 4-5 MVC) jumped out to an early lead, plating three runs in the top of the first. Daniel Dwyer walked and Paul DeJong singled to set the table. Ryan Koziol drove in Dwyer with a single to left field. Sean Beesley drove in another run with a fielder’s choice, scoring DeJong. A Wichita State error on the play also allowed Mason Snyder to score.

The Redbirds added a single tally in the second when Dennis Colon scored on a wild pitch, but the Shockers cut the ISU lead in half with two runs in the bottom half of the inning as Chase Rader homered and Tanner Dearman provided an RBI single.

The hosts cut the Redbird lead to just one run with an RBI groundout from Trey Vickers in the fourth inning, before Jean Ramirez restored a three-run lead with a two-run home run to left field in the sixth.

Wichita State (13-22, 5-4) trimmed the lead back down to two with an RBI single from Sam Hilliard in the bottom of the seventh. The Redbirds got that run back in the top of the ninth when Jared Hendren scored on wild pitch.

Koziol then pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his second save in as many days.

Landwehr allowed six hits and one walk over five innings to earn his first win in a month. He struck out five in the win. Jeffrey Barton followed with two innings of relief work, allowing one run on one hit and two walks, with four strikeouts. Jake Sale pitched a scoreless eighth before Koziol did the same in the ninth.

Koziol and Ramirez led the Redbirds with two hits apiece Sunday.

The Redbirds return to action Tuesday at Duffy Bass Field against No. 12 Illinois for their annual “Stuff the Duff” game. First pitch is at 4:30 p.m.

[Matt Wing, Illinois State University]

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