By WJBC staff
PEORIA, Ill. – The Illinois State baseball team rallied back to win the nightcap of a twin bill with Bradley Saturday at Dozer Park. Bradley won the opener, 7-3, before the Redbirds earned a split with an 8-0 shutout win in the second game.
Jacob Hendren tied an Illinois State single-season record with his 10th pitching victory of the season in the second game, while Joe Kelch had a perfect day at the plate, going 6-for-6 with two doubles, a walk and a sacrifice fly over the two games.
“Jacob did what he’s done all year,” said Illinois State head coach Bo Durkac. “And Joe Kelch, what can you say about him? Going 6-for-6 and hitting seeds all over the yard. His only out was a sac fly, so he had an unbelievable day at the plate.”
Game 1
Bradley jumped on top right from the start in Saturday’s opener, thanks to a two-run home run from Brad Solka in the bottom of the first inning. The Redbirds got one of those runs back with an RBI double from Kelch in the second, and then took the lead in the third after an RBI single from Brian Rodemoyer and a sacrifice fly from Jean Ramirez.
The Braves started to pull away, however, as a double from Drew Carlile and an RBI single from Mike Riesner plated two unearned runs in the sixth inning. They added insurance in the seventh with a three-run double from Ian Kristan.
Redbird starter Will Headean allowed four runs (two earned) on seven hits and one walk over six innings of work. Headean struck out five. Reliever Jake Sale surrendered three runs (two earned) over two innings of relief work, allowing two hits and two walks, while striking out a pair.
Kelch reached base four times in the loss, with two doubles, a single and a walk. Jared Hendren collected three hits, while Paul DeJong added a pair of base hits.
Game 2
Jacob Hendren pitched his third complete game of the season, and his first covering nine innings, in Saturday’s nightcap. He allowed just four hits and no walks, while striking out a career-high 11 batters in the win.
Kelch drove in the Redbirds’ first run with a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning, but Illinois State broke the game open with a four-run seventh inning. Sean Beesley drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in the first run. Dennis Colon’s fielder’s choice brought in the second, before Daniel Dwyer provided a two-run single up the middle.
The Redbirds got three more runs in the eighth as Ryan Koziol led off the frame with a solo home run, his third of the season. Beesley brought in another run with a double to left-center field before Colon concluded the scoring with a run-scoring single up the middle.
Kelch tallied three more hits in the second game to bring his two-game total to six. Koziol reached base four times with two hits and two walks. Dwyer and Colon chipped in two hits each.