By ISU Sports Information
EUGENE, Ore. – Jared Hendren provided a two-run, go-ahead single in the top of the ninth and reliever Jack Landwehr got the Redbirds out of a jam in the bottom of the inning as the Illinois State baseball team scored a 3-2 win over No. 9 Oregon at PK Park Saturday afternoon.
Illinois State won the pitcher’s duel to give starter Steve Heilenbach his second win of the season. Heilenbach went 8.1 innings, allowing just two runs on four hits and one walk, while striking out three.
Heilenbach allowed a one-out home run to Phil Craig-St. Louis in the ninth inning before Landwehr was called upon, and the junior reliever worked around a walk and an infield single to finish the game. Landwehr recorded the final two outs via strikeout to secure Illinois State’s first win over a top-10 nationally-ranked team since Feb. 24, 2007, when the Redbirds beat then-No. 5 Arkansas.
“What can you say about Steve Heilenbach? For the second straight weekend, he dominated — only this time against a top-10 opponent,” said Illinois State head coach Bo Durkac. “He threw strikes, changed speeds, controlled the running game and fielded his position well. And everyone knows that the bullpen was our Achilles heel last year, but in our first save situation of 2016, Jack Landwehr closed the door.
“I am just so proud of how well the guys played tonight on the road against a tremendous team in the sixth game of the year. We have a lot of season left, but this was a great win for Illinois State baseball.”
Oregon (5-1) grabbed an early lead as the Ducks pushed across a run in the first inning. Leadoff hitter Austin Grebeck singled to start the inning, advanced to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on an RBI groundout from Jakob Goldfarb.
Illinois State (2-4) erased the host’s lead the next half inning, however, as Sean Beesley drove in Brian Rodemoyer with an RBI double to left field.
Neither team scored again until the ninth, as Heilenbach and Oregon starter Matt Krook took turns putting zeroes on the scoreboard.
In the ninth, the Redbirds loaded the bases, as Ryan Hutchinson, Daniel Dwyer and Joe Kelch all worked free passes. Hendren then provided the biggest hit of the game, singling to right field to plate Hutchinson and Dwyer.
Heilenbach induced a groundout to get the first out of the ninth inning before Craig-St. Louis cut the Redbirds’ two-run lead in half with his solo home run. Landwehr then struck out the first batter he faced, before issuing a walk and allowing an infield single. He ended the game immediately after, however, with a strikeout of Travis Moniot.
The Redbirds return to PK Park for the final game of the four-game set Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. CT. Links for live video, audio and stats are available at GoRedbirds.com, and fans can receive live updates by following @RedbirdBaseball on Twitter.
