By ISU Sports Information
NORMAL – The Illinois State baseball team rallied for a doubleheader split with visiting Indiana State Friday at Duffy Bass Field. Indiana State scored a 3-0 shutout win in the opener before the Redbirds bounced back with a 5-4 win in the nightcap.
Illinois State (27-24, 9-11 MVC) was shut out for just the second time this season in the opener of Friday’s twin bill, but rebounded to win the second game of the twin bill, thanks to a strong pitching performance from Will Headean and home runs from Dennis Colon and Mason Snyder.
Game 1
The Redbirds were shut out in the opener as Indiana State handed Redbird starter Jacob Hendren just his second loss of the season. Sycamore starter Jeff Degano pitched five shutout innings, before a trio of Indiana State relievers finished off the shutout win.
Indiana State (26-24, 7-13) got solo home runs from Andy Young and Jacob Hayes in the fourth and seventh innings, respectively. The Sycamores added another insurance run in the ninth with a two-out RBI single from Kaden Moore.
Hendren allowed nine hits, one walk and all three runs over 8.2 innings of work, coming within one out of his third-straight complete game. Hendren struck out 10, one shy of matching his career high. Jack Czeszewski struck out the only batter he faced in the ninth inning, in relief of Hendren
The Redbirds were limited to just two hits, collected by Jared Hendren and Mason Snyder.
Game 2
Colon gave the Redbirds their first runs of the day with a two-run home run in the second inning to tie the game, and the Redbirds never trailed again after plating a run in the third.
Joe Kelch drove in the go-ahead run in the third inning and Snyder provided two critical insurance runs with a two-run homer in the eighth inning, as Indiana State plated two runs and put the potential game-tying run on base in the ninth.
Reliever Ryan Koziol induced a groundout to end the game, however, preserving the win for Headean, who allowed just two runs (one earned), five hits and four walks over seven innings. He struck out three.
Koziol pitched the final two innings, surrendering two runs on three hits, while striking out a pair to earn the save.
Kelch tallied a game-high three hits, while Koziol and Snyder added two each in the nightcap.
The Redbirds are back in action Saturday in series finale with Indiana State. Saturday will be Senior Day for the Redbirds, and recent graduates Paul DeJong, Logan Leverett, Colon and Snyder will be honored before the first pitch at 1 p.m.
