Redbirds Fall in Extra Innings at Southern Illinois, 7-6

[April 18, 2015]  NORMAL - Southern Illinois rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings and won in walk-off fashion in the 10th Friday night at Itchy Jones Stadium. The Salukis topped the Redbirds, 7-6.

Southern Illinois’ Parker Osborne hit a two-out, two-run single to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth and Hunter Anderson provided the walk-off winner, a two-out single up the middle the next inning.

The Redbirds scored two runs in the top of the first inning. Paul DeJong drew a two-out walk and scored on a RBI double to right field from Ryan Koziol. Jared Hendren then drove in Koziol, who had stolen third, with a single to left.

Southern Illinois (8-30, 4-6 MVC) tied it in the bottom of the third with a two-run single from Osborne. Jean Ramirez pushed the Redbirds back ahead with a solo home run in the top of the fourth, but the Salukis tied it again in the bottom half with a solo shot of their own, from Nick Hutchins.

Illinois State (17-17, 4-6) plated two runs in the top of the fifth to take the lead again, thanks to RBI singles from Koziol and Hendren. The hosts got one of those runs back, however, with a run-scoring single from Tyler Rolland in the bottom half of the inning.

DeJong restored a two-run lead for the Redbirds with his 12th home run of the season to lead off the ninth inning, but Southern Illinois sent the game into extra innings with Osborne’s game-tying single.

The Redbirds went down 1-2-3 in the top of the 10th before Southern Illinois won it on Anderson’s walk-off winner.
 

Redbird starter Will Headean allowed four runs on six hits and five walks over six innings of work. He struck out seven in a no-decision. Jake Sale followed with two scoreless innings of relief work, allowing just one hit and striking out two. Koziol was charged with the loss after allowing three runs (two earned) over 1.2 innings of work.

DeJong, Koziol and Hendren tallied two hits apiece in the loss. Koziol and Hendren drove in two runs each.

The Redbirds return to Itchy Jones Stadium Saturday for the second game of the series. First pitch is at 2 p.m.

[Matt Wing, Illinois State University]

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