NORMAL, Ill. – Fourth-year junior Jack Butler singled up the middle in the 10th inning to plate fifth-year junior Jeremy Gaines, pushing the Illinois State baseball team past Western Illinois, 2-1, on Tuesday at Duffy Bass Field.
Gaines pinch-ran for third-year junior Hayden Jones, who singled with one out to get the offense moving, and advanced to second on a walk drawn by fifth-year senior Joe Butler prior to Jack Butler's game-winning single to center field.
Third-year sophomore Derek Salata was credited with the win after tossing a six-pitch, 1-2-3 10th inning. Fourth-year junior Colin Wyman continued with impressive start to 2021, firing five scoreless innings in relief while conceding just two hits and one walk, striking out one.
Western Illinois (2-7 overall) out-hit Illinois State (4-6 overall), 8-4, but made two errors while ISU played a clean defensive game.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Western Illinois recorded five hits in the first two innings, including a solo home run to left field in the 2nd inning, but had just three hits the rest of the way.
A sacrifice fly by third-year sophomore Gunner Peterson plated fourth-year sophomore Jake McCaw to tie the game at 1-1 in the 2nd inning.
Wyman recorded inning-ending double plays in both the 7th and 8th innings to help keep the Leathernecks at bay.
In the 10th, Jones singled and Joe Butler walked before Jack Butler's single to center scored the pinch-runner, Gaines.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
· Illinois State recorded its first walk-off hit since Joe Aeilts lifted the Redbirds over Illinois on 4/9/2019. This is also the last extra-inning walk-off hit as Aeilts' hit came in the 13th inning.
· The first 1-2-3 inning of the game came in the bottom of the fourth.
· First-year freshman Luke Cheng recorded a highlight-reel play in the hole at shortstop as part of a three-assist, two-putout defensive output.
· Fourth-year junior Nick Gile collected a career-high six assists and now has 23 on the year. He has not made an error.
· Fourth-year sophomore Garrett Witcher threw two scoreless innings in relief
UP NEXT
Illinois State is travel to Missouri for a four-game set over March 12-14. The Friday and Sunday games will be on ESPN+/3.
For the latest updates on Illinois State Baseball, stay tuned at GoRedbirds.com, follow the Redbirds on Twitter (@RedbirdBaseball) and Instagram (isuredbirdbaseball), and like the team on Facebook (Illinois State Baseball).
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