WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Illinois State lineup churned out a season-high run total as it scored an 18-1, run-ruled victory over LIU-Brooklyn Saturday in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational at Chain O'Lakes Park.
The win was highlighted by a nine-run sixth inning, big offensive days from Logan Leverett and Paul DeJong, and Jacob Hendren turning in the team's first complete game pitching performance of the season.
"It's nice a couple times a year to be on the winning end of one these games. It gives guys some confidence with their stats," said Illinois State head coach Bo Durkac. "It's tough when you're playing in one-run games all the time, and we've certainly been on the losing end of a couple big scores like that, but to go out and beat a solid team like we did, that was good."
Leverett and DeJong were two of five Redbirds to tally three hits in the win; Daniel Dwyer, Jared Hendren and Jean Ramirez matched the feat. Leverett hit two doubles and drove in six runs, a career high and the most by a Redbird player in any game this season. DeJong also doubled twice, driving in career-high five runs.
The Redbirds got off to a quick start Saturday, scoring two runs in the first as Ryan Koziol hit a sacrifice fly and Leverett drew a bases-loaded walk. A two-run home run from Ramirez and a two-run double from DeJong gave the Redbirds four more runs in the third inning. Leverett added a two-run double, followed by a run-scoring single from Ramirez, in a three-run fourth inning for the Redbirds.
Illinois State (8-8) sent a total of 16 batters to the plate in the nine-run sixth. Leverett and DeJong knocked in three runs each in the inning, while Jared Hendren, Ramirez and Dwyer also provided run-scoring hits.
The Redbirds totaled 19 hits in the game, also a season high, while drawing nine walks, its second-highest single-game total of the year. Ramirez drove in a career-high four runs, while Dwyer and Dennis Colon scored three runs each.
Jacob Hendren pitched all seven innings for the Redbirds, turning in his fourth-straight quality start and earning his staff-leading third win of the season. Hendren scattered nine hits and did not allow a walk, while striking out seven.
The Redbirds will play their eighth and final game of a 10-day trip to Florida on Sunday. The team's Florida finale against Butler begins at 9 a.m. CT.
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