SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Brian Rodemoyer doubled, homered and walked three times to help power Illinois State (24-12, 7-5 MVC) to a 7-1 Valley win Sunday afternoon at Missouri State (17-19, 6-6 MVC). The victory secured a series-win for Illinois State and pushed the Redbirds to a season-best 12-games over .500.
Rodemoyer's career-day helped Illinois State out-hit Missouri State, 14-5. The Redbirds also drew eight walks in the win. Daniel Dwyer and Mike Hollenbeck both reached base four times and Dennis Colon matched a career-high with three hits.
Jeremy Rhoades (4-3) worked eight innings of one-run ball for his fourth victory of the season. Rhoades struck out four, scattered five hits and walked six. Jake Powers (1-4) was chased from the game in the fourth inning and allowed four runs, all earned, on eight hits in 3.1 innings for the loss.
Rodemoyer's RBI-double down the leftfield line drove home Colon to give Illinois State a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Jack Czeszewski's RBI-single one inning later made it 2-0.
Colon opened the Redbird fourth inning with a single and scored on Rodemoyer's towering home run over the fence in left field. The home run was the second this season for Rodemoyer. Colon reached on his third-consecutive single to begin the third inning and later scored on a base hit from Sean Beesley, giving ISU a 5-0 advantage.
Rhoades worked four scoreless innings, firing 1-2-3 frames in the second and fourth frames, before surrendering a run in the fifth inning. Dylan Becker's run-scoring groundout plated Conner Wilson to put MSU on the board. Rhoades retired Eric Cheray to end the inning.
The game remained at 5-1 until the seventh inning when Illinois State powered a two-out rally to add a pair of runs. Three-straight hits from Paul DeJong, Hollenbeck and Kelch extended the Redbird advantage to 7-1.
Rhoades induced a double play to halt a Missouri State threat in the bottom of the seventh inning. David Suarez struck out the side in the ninth to secure the win.
Illinois State will visit Illinois Wesleyan Tuesday night for the annual Horenberger-Bass Classic. First pitch is slated for 6:00 p.m.
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