By ISU Sports Information
NORMAL – Indiana State forced extra innings with a run in the top of the ninth inning and added two more on a wild play in the 10th to score a 5-3 win in both teams’ regular-season finale Saturday at Duffy Bass Field.
Indiana State scored the winning runs in the top of the 10th when the Sycamores, with runners at first and second, attempted a double steal. Illinois State catcher Jean Ramirez threw to third attempting to get the lead runner, but the ball hit the base and skipped away from third baseman Ryan Koziol. Koziol’s throw home to catch the first runner was errant, allowing the second runner to score.
Illinois State (27-25, 9-12 MVC) got a leadoff single from Ramirez to start the bottom of the 10th, but could not produce anything more, offensively.
The Redbirds finished the regular season fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference standings and will be the No. 5 seed at the MVC Tournament, beginning Wednesday in Wichita, Kansas. The Redbirds will face No. 4 Wichita State in their first game Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
Illinois State took an early lead in Saturday’s game as Dennis Colon hit a three-run home run to get the Redbirds started. Koziol doubled down the right-field line before Sean Beesley reached on an infield single to set the table for Colon’s fifth home run of the season.
Indiana State (27-24, 8-13) got one run back in the top of the third when a Landon Curry fielder’s choice scored Connor McClain, and another when Curry provided a two-out, run-scoring single in the top of the seventh.
The Sycamores tied it in the ninth with a two-out, RBI single from Jacob Hayes that scored McClain from second base.
Hunter Owen and Andy DeJesus started the 10th inning with back-to-back hits, and with one out, attempted the double steal that led to the game’s winning runs. The Redbirds were charged with two errors on the play.
Redbird starter Steve Heilenbach allowed just one run over three innings of work Saturday before giving way to Jack Czeszewski, who got the Redbirds out of a bases-loaded jam with an inning-ending double play ball in the fourth inning. Czeszewski allowed just one hit over two innings of work, while striking out a pair. Jake Sale allowed one run over the next 1.1 innings. Jack Landwehr pitched 2.2 innings of one-run relief, and was one out from recording his second save of the season before Hayes’ game-tying single. Jeffrey Barton pitched the 10th inning, and was charged with two hits and two unearned runs.
Ramirez was the only Redbird to collect multiple hits Saturday, as he went 2-for-4 from the plate.
Redbird seniors Paul DeJong, Logan Leverett, Mason Snyder and Colon were honored before the game as part of Senior Day festivities.
