by Tim Van Duyne
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The Illinois State baseball team registered 13 hits but only two runs against Missouri State in a 5-2 loss Saturday afternoon at Hammons Field. The loss pushed the Redbirds behind the Bears in the Missouri Valley Conference standings.
Missouri State took control of the game early with a four-run first inning. The Bears brought nine batters to the plate and scored four runs on six hits off of Illinois State starter Jacob Hendren in the inning.
The Redbirds had the lead-off man reach base in each of the first three innings but failed to score. The Redbirds broke through offensively in the fourth when Daniel Dwyer delivered an RBI single with two outs, making it a 4-1 deficit.
Jean Ramirez crushed the first pitch of the sixth inning over the left field wall for a home run, cutting the Missouri State lead in half, 4-2.
After giving up four runs in the first inning, Hendren settled down and put up four consecutive zeros on the scoreboard. He also retired nine-straight batters during a stretch between the third and sixth innings. In the sixth inning, he gave up three hits and one run before being pulled for Jack Landwehr. After six innings, the Bears led 5-2.
The Redbirds threatened in the eighth inning with runners at the corners with two outs and in the ninth inning with the tying run at the plate but failed to score. The Bears held off the Redbirds late charge and swept the series with a 5-2 win.
Hendren went 5.2 innings while giving up 11 hits and five earn runs in the loss. Dwyer and Ryan Hutchinson led the way offensively with three hits apiece. The home run Ramirez hit in the sixth inning was his team-leading sixth long ball of the season.
The Redbirds will look forward to the Missouri Valley Conference tournament starting Wednesday. The official seedings will be announced Saturday evening.
