NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State baseball team lost to No. 15 Dallas Baptist for the third day in a row as the Redbirds suffered a 10-3 loss in the series finale Sunday at Joan & Andy Horner Ballpark.
Illinois State (11-13, 0-3 MVC) pulled within one run of the lead after scoring two runs in the top of the seventh inning, but Dallas Baptist (22-3, 5-1) plated six runs in the bottom of the eighth to complete the series sweep of the Redbirds.
"The score did not indicate how well we played for basically seven-and-a-half innings. Things got out of hand in the bottom of the eighth," said Illinois State head coach Bo Durkac. "But you have to tip your cap to Dallas Baptist. We've played Vanderbilt this year, who was the No. 1 team in the country, and these guys are not that far behind Vanderbilt."
The Patriots scored first Sunday, tallying an unearned run in the bottom of the first inning. They added another in the second with an RBI single from Camden Duzenack.
The Redbirds got one back in the third with a sacrifice fly from Ryan Koziol to score Daniel Dwyer, who hit a one-out double and moved to third on a Paul DeJong single.
Dallas Baptist regained control with a two-run double from Duzenack in the fourth. The Redbirds got those runs back in the seventh, however, with a two-run double from Joe Kelch, scoring Sean Beesley and Jared Hendren.
The hosts ended the Redbirds' comeback bid shortly thereafter, with six runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. The key hit in the rally was a two-run single from Duzenack, who finished the day with five RBIs.
ISU starter Jack Landwehr went four innings, allowing four hits, four walks and four runs (three earned), against three strikeouts. The Redbirds got three strong innings of relief from Jack Czeszewski, who allowed just two hits and no walks, while striking out four over his three innings.
The Patriots scored all six of their eighth-inning runs off reliever Mitch Vogrin; only four of the runs were earned. Matt Lambert recorded the final two outs to get the Redbirds out of the eighth inning.
DeJong, Beesley and Kelch collected two hits apiece for Illinois State in the loss. The Redbirds stranded 14 baserunners Sunday, leaving the bases loaded in the third, fifth and sixth innings.
The Redbirds return to action Tuesday with a non-conference game at Eastern Illinois. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. in Charleston, Illinois.
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