Southern Illinois Wins Game, Series Over Illinois State

[April 20, 2015]  CARBONDALE, Ill. – The Illinois State baseball team was topped by host Southern Illinois in a game that featured a weather delay of two-and-a-half hours Sunday afternoon at Itchy Jones Stadium. The Redbirds rallied late, but Southern Illinois won by a 9-7 score to claim the rubber match in the three-game series.

Saturday’s game was halted in the top of the fourth inning due to lightning. Southern Illinois held a 5-2 lead when the game was delayed, and was able to withstand the late Illinois State rally as the Redbirds brought the potential game-tying run to the plate in the top of the ninth inning.

“Whether a team has eight or nine wins, or 30 wins, going into a game, you give them five runs to start in the bottom of the first, it’s going to be a tough hole to dig yourself out of,” said Illinois State head coach Bo Durkac. “And that’s exactly what happened today.”

The hosts struck first with five runs in the top of the first inning. Greg Lambert got things started with an RBI double. Nick Hutchins drove in the next run with a single to right field. Logan Blackfan doubled in two runs the very next at-bat and Hutchins scored on a wild pitch moments later.

Illinois State (18-18, 5-7 MVC) got three runs back in the fourth inning. Paul DeJong walked to start the inning before Jared Hendren reached on an error. Mason Snyder singled to right field to load the bases. The Redbirds then scored two runs when Jean Ramirez reached on a fielder’s choice to score DeJong and a Southern Illinois error allowed Hendren to get home.

The game was delayed immediately after Ramirez’s fielder’s choice. When play resumed two-and-a-half hours later, Brian Rodemoyer drove in Snyder with a double to center for the Redbirds’ third run of the fourth inning. Southern Illinois got one run back in the bottom half, though, with a run-scoring single from Lambert.

Southern Illinois (9-31, 5-7) added another run in the sixth with an RBI single from Parker Osborne, and two runs in the eighth inning on a two-run double from Tyler Rolland.

The Redbirds rallied late, however, as Rodemoyer homered to lead off the top of the ninth inning. Blake Molitor, Daniel Dwyer and Hendren then walked to load the bases, before Snyder drove them in with a bases-clearing double. Ryan Koziol came to the plate as the potential game-tying run, but grounded out to second base to end the game.

ISU starter Jack Landwehr lasted just 1.2 innings after allowing five runs on seven hits and a walk. Jeffrey Barton turned in 1.1 innings of scoreless work, before giving way to Jake Sale, who allowed one run over the next two innings. Mitch Vogrin surrendered one run in the sixth inning, while Jack Czeszewski allowed two runs over two innings of work.

Snyder and Rodemoyer recorded two hits apiece in the loss. Ramirez collected Illinois State’s only other hit.

Illinois State returns to Duffy Bass Field this week for five home games in six days. The Redbirds host Illinois Wesleyan on Tuesday and Webster on Wednesday, with both games beginning at 6 p.m. ISU will then host Missouri State in a three-game weekend series, beginning Friday.

[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

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