By ISU Sports Information
NORMAL – Jacob Hendren and a pair of Illinois State relievers combined on a three-hit shutout of Southern Illinois Sunday to help the Redbirds avoid a series sweep at the hands of the Salukis. Illinois State won Sunday’s pitchers’ duel by a 1-0 score.
Hendren tossed seven shutout innings. He allowed three hits and three walks, while striking out three. The shutout was Illinois State’s first since May 10, 2015, at Bradley, and the 1-0 victory was the team’s first win by that score since May 11, 2012, against Western Illinois.
Hendren and Southern Illinois starter Michael Baird took turns putting zeroes on the scoreboard until the bottom of the sixth inning, when Joe Kelch walked and Daniel Dwyer followed with an infield single. Owen Miller then provided the biggest hit of the game, a run-scoring single to left field.
Hendren pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning before giving way to Jake Sale in the eighth inning. Sale induced a groundout and a two fly balls to keep the Redbirds ahead. Jack Landwehr got the ball for Illinois State in the ninth inning, and sat the Salukis down in order, recording the final out via strikeout to earn his third save of the season.
Dwyer and Danny Jackson collected two hits apiece for Illinois State, accounting for four of the Redbirds’ five hits. Miller tallied the only other base hit.
Sunday’s game was a quick one, finishing in just one hour and 54 minutes. The game was Illinois State’s fastest since a run-rule loss at Evansville on May 10, 2014.
Illinois State returns to action Tuesday in its annual “Stuff the Duff” game at Duffy Bass Field. The Redbirds host Purdue at 6 p.m. Admission is free and links for live audio and stats be found at GoRedbirds.com. Fans can also receive live updates from the games via Twitter, by following @RedbirdBaseball.
