NORMAL, Ill. - Matt Lambert secured his second-consecutive victory as Illinois State (26-12, 7-5 MVC) defeated NCAA Division-III opponent MacMurray Wednesday afternoon at Duffy Bass Field. Illinois State has now won four-straight games and returns to Valley action with a three-game home series versus Southern Illinois beginning Friday night in Normal.
In his seventh appearance in a Redbird uniform, Lambert (2-0) worked a career-best six shutout innings. He struck out a career-high seven and scattered four hits. Steve Heilenbach, Cam Verbeke and JD Learnard combined to work the final three innings without allowing a run. Clayton Ruckman (0-1) suffered the defeated and allowed three runs over four relief innings.
MacMurray loaded the bases in the first inning off Lambert, but the Redbird right-hander was able to work out of trouble to preserve a scoreless tie. The game remained 0-0 until the fifth inning.
With two outs, Sean Beesley reached safely on a bunt and advanced to second base with his team-leading 25th stolen base. Jack Czeszewski then roped a triple off the wall in right field to plate Beesley. Daniel Dwyer followed with a run-scoring single and Paul DeJong knocked a double to make it 4-0.
Illinois State added three runs in the sixth inning, highlighted by a two-run single from DeJong. Czeszewski and DeJong drove home a run each in the eighth inning to cap the scoring.
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