By ISU Sports Information
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Illinois State baseball team scored more runs in a game than it had in nearly four years, while collecting more hits in a game than it had over the past 18 years, as the Redbird bats produced 23 runs on 25 hits in Saturday’s 23-5 win over Belmont at E.S. Rose Park.
Every player in the lineup collected at least one hit for the Redbirds, with Joe Kelch and Brian Rodemoyer leading the way with four hits apiece. Steve Heilenbach did his part from the mound, pitching five scoreless innings to earn his first win of the season.
The 23 runs were the most scored by the Redbirds since a 28-2 win at Tennessee Tech on Feb. 26, 2012. The 25 hits were the most in a game since a 23-1 win over Monmouth on March 10, 1998.
“It was a good game, all the way around for our guys,” said Illinois State head coach Bo Durkac. “Lost in the mix is Steve Heilenbach. It’s easy to forget how good he was when you score 23 runs.”
The Redbirds got on the scoreboard early, plating three runs in the first inning. Rodemoyer got it started with a two-run double, scoring Kelch and Jared Hendren, before Owen Miller chased Rodemoyer home with a single to center field.
Illinois State (1-1) scored three more runs in the second inning. Daniel Dwyer and Hendren drove in the first runs of the inning on fielder’s choices, before Jean Ramirez singled to bring in Hendren. Two more runs were scored in the third inning, thank to run-scoring singles from Kelch and Hendren.
The flood gates opened in the fifth inning, as the Redbirds plated 10 runs in the frame. Kelch and Hendren hit back-to-back home runs, and one batter later, Rodemoyer sent a ball over the outfield fence. Nick Zouras later drew a bases-loaded walk, before Dwyer cleared the bases with a three-run double. After loading the bases again, Hendren was hit by a pitch to plate another run, before Rodemoyer drove in two more with a single to right field.
The offense kept going in the sixth, as Sean Beesley hit his first-career home run. Derek Parola followed shortly after with the first hit and first RBI of his career, a run-scoring infield single.
Belmont (1-1) finally got on the scoreboard with four runs in the seventh, two courtesy of long balls from Brennan Washington and Hunter Holland. The other two came on a two-run double from Chas Hadden. The Bruins then added another run in the eighth on a sacrifice fly from Alex Ward.
Illinois State scored its final three runs in the ninth, as Nick Kowalczuk, Miller and Dwyer provided RBI singles.
Kelch and Rodemoyer both tallied four hits each before being lifted in the fifth and seventh innings, respectively. Dwyer, Miller and Beesley tallied three hits each, while Dwyer and Hendren drove in four runs apiece. Ryan Hutchinson walked four times and scored three runs.
Heilenbach allowed just one hit and four walks over five innings of shutout baseball. He struck out three in the win. Mitch Weis allowed four runs over two innings of work, before Jeff Lindgren pitched the final two innings, allowing one run on three hits.
Illinois State and Belmont will play the final game of the three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m. at E.S. Rose Park.
