The Wichita State baseball team, for the second time in three days, shut out Illinois State to complete a four-game sweep in the series from the Redbirds. The Shockers blanketed ISU, 2-0, in Missouri Valley Conference action before 2,940 fans on a cool and windy day at Eck Stadium-Home of Tyler Field.
Wichita State (15-8; 7-1 Valley) scored the game's only two runs in the bottom of the first inning. The first one came when junior Brad Wright dropped an RBI double down right field line scoring junior Justin McCarty who had singled in his first trip to the plate. Senior Eric Absher was responsible for the other run in the game, knocking in Wright with an RBI single.
McCarty was the only player to get multiple hits in the game, going 2-for-4 at the plate. WSU starting pitcher Erich Bryan picked up his first win of the season, going six strong innings. Bryan scattered three hits, struck out three and walked one.
Illinois State (7-11; 0-4 Valley) managed just three hits in the game, one each from Jon Peacock in the second inning and Ed Tolzien and Jared Dufault in the seventh frame.
Matt Hines (1-1) of Illinois State took the loss for the Redbirds. Hines scattered seven hits, struck out two and allowed both Shocker runs (all earned).
With the win, WSU stretched its winning streak to 18 consecutive games over Illinois State that dates back to the 1995 season. The Shockers upped their lead in the all-time series to 60-12.
WSU, with the sweep of ISU, has now won four straight and nine of its last 10 games.
