NORMAL, Ill. - Will Headean struck out a career-high seven batters as Illinois State (22-11, 5-4 MVC) topped in-state foe Illinois (18-14, 6-3 Big Ten), 6-2, Tuesday afternoon at Duffy Bass Field. The Redbirds are now a season-best 11-games over .500.
Headean (2-1) earned his fourth-career victory and matched a season-high with six innings pitched. He allowed only one run on five hits and walked five. Ben Hecht, Brock Stewart and David Saurez worked the final three innings and combined with Headean to strike out 11 Illini batters. Cody Sedlock (1-2) was chased from the game after 1.2 innings and suffered the defeat. He allowed six runs, one earned, on five hits, with two walks and no strikeouts.
Mike Hollenbeck's RBI-single in the first inning drove home Jack Czeszewski for the first run of the game, giving Illinois State a 1-0 advantage early. After Headean worked a scoreless second inning, the Redbird offense rallied for five runs off Sedlock in the second inning.
Brock Stewart opened the frame with a solo home run over the fence in right field. It marked the eighth home run of Stewart's career. Later in the frame, Dennis Colon and Czeszewski both reached on walks and advanced a base when Daniel Dwyer reached on an error. With the bases loaded and two outs, Paul DeJong powered a grand slam over the fence in left field to give Illinois State a 6-0 advantage. It was the first Illinois State grand slam since Chad Hinshaw cleared the bases March 12, 2013 at Miami.
With the victory, the Redbirds split the season-series versus Illinois and resume play Friday afternoon at Missouri State for the first of three Valley games versus the Bears. All three contests will begin at 1:05 p.m. and will be broadcast on GoRedbirds.com, WJBC.com and WZND 103.3-FM.
Illinois scored one run in the fourth inning off Headean and added one run off Suarez in the ninth, but the Redbird closer was able to work out of trouble to secure the win.
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