By ISU Sports Information
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – Jacob Hendren turned in his best start of the young season Friday at the Snowbird Classic, as the senior left-hander pitched eight sparkling innings without allowing an earned run in a 2-1 victory over Western Michigan at North Charlotte Park.
Hendren allowed only an unearned run in the first inning. He gave up five hits, but did not walk a batter while striking out seven, over eight innings of work. The Redbird offense put him in line for the win when it pushed across two runs in the top of the seventh inning, and Jack Landwehr nailed down the save, pitching a perfect ninth inning to seal the win.
“When we needed him to come up big, he certainly did today against a very talented pitcher from Western Michigan,” Illinois State head coach Bo Durkac said of Hendren. “For Jacob, coming off three rough starts, to go out there against guy with really good numbers, and for us to win the game, that’s a big Friday win for us.”
Western Michigan (1-10) scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning, as the Broncos capitalized on an Illinois State error and pushed across the game’s first run when Grant Miller’s groundout scored Nick Vogelmeier.
Hendren and Western Michigan starter Keegan Akin dueled for the next five innings, as each left-hander put up five-straight zeroes on the scoreboard. The Broncos led until the top of the seventh, when the Redbirds grabbed the lead with a pair of runs.
Brian Rodemoyer led the inning off with a walk and Tyler Paulsen was hit by a pitch. Sean Beesley bunted Rodemoyer and Paulsen into scoring position for the inning’s first out before Daniel Dwyer was intentionally walked to load the bases. Joe Kelch tied the game with a sacrifice fly, which scored Rodemoyer, while also allowing Paulsen to advance to third. Ryan Hutchinson then provided the go-ahead run with a single through the left side, plating Paulsen.
Hendren posted 1-2-3 innings in both the seventh and eighth, before giving way to Landwehr in the ninth. The right-handed reliever continued the trend, setting the Broncos down in order to close out the game, recording the final two outs on strikeouts for his second save of the year.
Illinois State (5-8) got two hits each from Dwyer and Hutchinson. Both players also drew a walk. The top four players in Illinois State’s lineup collected all six of the team’s hits, as Kelch and Owen Miller recorded the only other base hits Friday.
The Redbirds will play their final games at the Snowbird Classic on Saturday. Illinois State will take on both Central Michigan, at 11 a.m. CT, and Butler, at 2:30 p.m., in the team’s only scheduled doubleheader of the season.
