WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Illinois State baseball team lost in extra innings for the second time in three days Sunday as the Redbirds were topped by Butler, 5-4 in 10 innings, in their final game at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational at Chain O'Lakes Park.
Illinois State (8-9) finished its eight-game trip to Florida with a 4-4 record after Sunday's loss. The extra-inning game Sunday was the second in three days for the Redbirds, who also lost to Maine in 10 innings on Friday.
Dennis Colon led the Redbirds with three hits Sunday in support of starter Jack Landwehr, who limited the Bulldogs to two runs on three hits and one walk, while striking out five.
Illinois State took an early lead over Butler when a Ryan Koziol double scored Mason Snyder in the first inning. The Redbirds added another run in the fourth with an RBI double from Joe Kelch, and another run in the fifth with a sacrifice fly from Paul DeJong.
The Redbirds surrendered the lead in the seventh inning, however, as Butler's Austin Miller hit a three-run homer off Redbird reliever Jack Czeszewski to give the Bulldogs a 4-3 edge.
Illinois State came back to tie the game in the top of the ninth with a two-out, RBI single from Daniel Dwyer that scored Sean Beesley from second base.
Butler won it in the 10th inning, though, thanks to a leadoff walk followed by a double from Chris Marras. ISU reliever Jake Sale intentionally walked the next batter to load the bases and Butler's Garrett Christman provided a game-winning, walk-off single to second base.
Landwehr was in line to win his third game of the year Sunday before Miller's home run gave him a no-decision. Czeszewski was charged with two runs on one hit and a walk over two-thirds of an inning. Sale pitched two scoreless innings before allowing the game-winning run in the 10th.
The Redbirds will host their home opener Wednesday at Duffy Bass Field. The game against Illinois-Chicago begins at 3 p.m.
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.Â
