Redbirds Topped By No. 20 Florida Atlantic, 6-4

[March 11, 2015]  BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Illinois State baseball team came up short in a back-and-forth game at No. 20 Florida Atlantic Tuesday afternoon at FAU Stadium. Florida Atlantic won its ninth-straight game, 6-4.

Illinois State took an early lead but could never pull away from the hosts, who led by three runs heading into the ninth inning. Illinois State brought the potential go-ahead run to the plate in the final frame, but the nationally-ranked Owls escaped with the win.

“The difference was the bullpen,” said Illinois State head coach Bo Durkac. “They came in and they shut us down, and our guys couldn’t keep them from scoring, and that turned out to be the difference in the game.”

Illinois State (6-7) jumped out to a two-run lead in the first inning as Paul DeJong hit his team-leading fifth home run of the season, a two-run shot to left field, to give the Redbirds an early lead.

Florida Atlantic (15-2) tied the game with single runs in the second and third innings, but the Redbirds reclaimed the lead with a Dennis Colon sacrifice fly that scored Jared Hendren in the top of the fourth.

The Owls tied it again with a run in the bottom of the fifth inning, chasing ISU starter Matt Lambert, and took the lead with a run in the seventh off Redbird reliever Jack Czeszewski. The hosts then added two insurance runs in the eighth inning off Will Headean, who made his first relief appearance of the year Tuesday.

The Redbirds mounted a comeback in the ninth inning as Hendren led off with a single and Sean Beesley brought the potential game-tying run to the plate with a two-out single. Daniel Dwyer scored Hendren with yet another single, but Florida Atlantic closer Bo Logan got Joe Kelch to pop up to end the game.

Hendren and Dwyer led the Redbird bats with two hits apiece, accounting for half of the Redbirds’ eight hits.

Lambert allowed three runs, five hits and four walks over 4.2 innings, while striking out a pair, in his first start of the year. Czeszewski suffered the loss after allowing three hits, a walk, and the Owls’ fourth run of the game. Headean allowed two runs over an inning of work before Jake Sale got the final two outs of the eighth inning.

The Illinois State baseball team is back in action Wednesday, as they travel to Winter Haven, Florida, for their first of four games at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational. The Redbirds will play Bowling Green, Maine, LIU-Brooklyn and Butler, March 11-15, before returning home to Duffy Bass Field for their home opener against Illinois-Chicago on March 18.

[Matt Wing, Illinois State University]

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