By ISU Sports Information
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Owen Miller matched a career high with four hits – none bigger than a two-run, go-ahead single in the top of the 10th inning – as the Illinois State baseball team scored an 8-6 Missouri Valley Conference win over host Evansville Sunday at Charles H. Braun Stadium.
Illinois State (14-28, 4-7 MVC) won the rubber game in the series after splitting a doubleheader with the Purple Aces Friday. Saturday’s game was rained out.
The Redbirds snapped a nine-game losing streak in extra-inning games, which dated back to the beginning of the 2015 season.
Illinois State grabbed an early lead Sunday as the Redbirds plated a run in the top of the first. Daniel Dwyer led off with a double to right-center field and later scored on single from Miller. Evansville (24-17, 7-5) tied it in the bottom of the second when Jonathan Ramon grounded into a run-scoring double play.
Illinois State reclaimed the lead in the fourth on Sean Beesley’s two-out infield single, which scored Joe Kelch, but Evansville tied it back up in the bottom of the inning with a solo home run from Ramon. The Purple Aces then took the lead in the fifth with an RBI single from Josh Jyawook.
The Redbirds went back ahead with three runs in the top of the seventh. Brian Rodemoyer and Ryan Hutchinson singled to start the rally. Dwyer walked to load the bases and Miller came through with the biggest hit of the inning, a two-run single to right field. Moments later, Kelch gave the Redbirds a two-run lead with a safety squeeze bunt that scored Dwyer.
Illinois State tacked on an insurance run in the top of the eighth when Beesley scored on a wild pitch, but Evansville got two back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single from Eric McKibban and a sacrifice fly from Stewart Nelson. The Purple Aces then forced extra innings on Ramon’s ninth-inning sacrifice fly.
The Redbirds went back ahead for good, though, in the top of the 10th inning. Derek Parola singled and Rodemoyer and Hutchinson worked walks to load the bases. Miller then plated two runs with his fourth hit of the day, a single to left field.
Redbird reliever Jack Landwehr worked around a leadoff walk in the bottom of the inning to earn the pitching win.
Miller was one of six Redbirds to record multiple hits Sunday. Dwyer, Kelch, Beesley, Rodemoyer and Parola all notched two hits each. Miller set a career high with five RBIs in the game.
Redbird starter Mitch Vogrin allowed one run over the first 2.2 innings before Jack Czeszewski got the final out of the third inning. Jake Sale allowed two runs over the next two innings. Rhett Rapshus pitched 1.2 scoreless innings before Landwehr finished the game out with the final 3.1 innings of work. Landwehr allowed three runs on five hits and a walk. He struck out two.
Illinois State will return to action next weekend with a three-game series against Bradley at Duffy Bass Field.
