Redbird baseball drops series finale to No. 9 Oregon

Posted on February 29, 2016

By ISU Sports Information

EUGENE, Ore. – The Illinois State baseball team found itself in a pitcher’s duel for the third time in as many days Sunday, but the Redbird offense was unable to provide the support for starter David Meade as Illinois State suffered a 3-1 loss to No. 9 Oregon at PK Park. Illinois State went 1-3 against the Ducks in the four-game series.

The Redbirds scored their only run in the top of the first, but Oregon tied it in the second, took the lead in the sixth and added an insurance run in the eighth.

Illinois State (2-5) was limited to just two hits in the loss. Meade did his part, however, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk over 5.1 innings of work. He struck out three.

“You have to tip your hat to Oregon, and especially their pitching staff,” said Illinois State head coach Bo Durkac. “That’s as good a Friday-Saturday-Sunday starting rotation as I have seen in 14 years of coaching college baseball, and that includes Vanderbilt’s weekend starters last year.

“Oregon is extremely deserving of its top-10 ranking. That said, I thought our guys played and pitched extremely well. The 1-3 record is not at all indicative of how much better we were this weekend than what we were against Belmont.”

Daniel Dwyer started Sunday’s game with a single to center field for the Redbirds. Dwyer advanced to second when Owen Miller reached on an error, moved to third on a groundout from Jean Ramirez and scored on a wild pitch.

Oregon (6-1) got the run back in the second when Phil Craig-St. Louis and Steven Packard started the inning with back-to-back doubles, and the Ducks took the lead in the sixth on an RBI single through the right side from Jakob Goldfard. Oregon added an insurance run in the eighth with a sac fly from Packard.

Oregon starter David Peterson earned the pitching win for the Ducks, allowing just two hits and two walks over eight innings. The only run he allowed was unearned. Oregon closer Stephen Nogosek earned the save, working a clean ninth inning.

Dwyer and Ramirez collected Illinois State’s only hits; Ramirez’s hit was a double. Dwyer also drew a walk.

The Redbird bullpen was solid again Sunday, as Jack Czeszewski, Jake Sale, Rhett Rapshus and Jack Landwehr combined for 2.2 innings of scoreless relief.

The Redbirds return to action on Friday when they play their first of eight games in Florida, over a nine-day stretch.

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