Illinois States Mike Quinlan pitched six strong innings while only allowing one run, in the first game of the scheduled doubleheader, but it wasnt enough as the Redbirds fell to Southwest Missouri State 1-0, followed by a 8-4 loss in the nightcap, in Missouri Valley Conference action at Price Cutter Park, Saturday.
On the day, Illinois State mustered a combined 12 hits and four runs over the two games. With the pair of losses, the Redbirds record dropped to 5-14 on the season and 2-4 in league play. SMS improved to 14-4 and 2-1, respectively.
In the first game, the Redbirds were handcuffed by SMS Brad Ziegler, who struck out the first six Redbird batters and finished with eight on the day. Quinlan was nearly equally as effective spreading five SMS hits over six innings with four strikeouts.
We ran into a real good pitcher on a good day, head coach Jeff Stewart said. He threw whatever he wanted, wherever he wanted, whenever he wanted. Our hitters couldnt really ever get a really good look at him and come up with a plan of attack.
Randyn Saner opened up the SMS half of the fifth with a double down the rightfield line. The runner was sacrificed over to third and later scored on a two-out single to left by Rick Wilson for the only run of the game. The Redbirds finished with four hits, including two from Greg Blaesing and one each by Jeremy Accardo and Jon Peacock.
The only Redbird threat came in the top of the fifth when Accardo singled with two outs. Blaesing followed with a shot up the middle that Bears centerfielder Dante Brinkley mishandled. Accardo tried to score all the way from first, but was gunned down by Brinkley.
The second game was shaky from the start for the Birds with four errors, including three by starting pitcher Todd Stien, in the first two innings. After SMS posted two runs in the second, thanks to three Redbirds errors, Jake Perganson drove home two runs with a double to left center in the top of the third to tie the game at 2-2.
We couldnt field our position from the mound and we kind of lost it from there, Stewart said. We got behind early and our guys wear their emotions on their sleeves. Our hitters got down and their heads were down, but heck, we had a lot of baseball left and I thought we could get back in it. It just wasnt meant to be.
The tie was short lived as the Bears opened the bottom of the third with a bunt by Jeremy Isenhower that dribbled through the Redbird infield for a double. Isenhower scored, when the next batter, Matt Gardner, ripped a single to leftfield. Gardner also crossed the plate later in the inning on a base hit by Greg Mathis to push the SMS lead to 4-2.
The Bears added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to push the lead to 6-2 and chased ISUs starter Stien from the game. Illinois State threatened in the top half of the seventh, but Ryan Cantrell grounded into a bases loaded double play to end the inning.
SMS added another run in the bottom of the seventh. In the top of the eighth, the Redbirds Mike Saunches drove home Peacock and Brad Bouris with a single to close the deficit to 7-4. SMS tacked on another run in the bottom half of the eighth for the final 8-4 margin.
Jeff Gray posted the win for the Bears after going seven and a third innings. Shaun Marcum came on in relief for the save, while Stien took the loss for ISU.
Illinois State concludes the series with Southwest Missouri State on Sunday, March 31. The first pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
