Kevin ODell went 3-for-5 with a homer and a double on the day as the Illinois State baseball team split its season-opening doubleheader with Murray State dropping the first game 6-1, but came back strong in the second contest with an impressive 8-0 victory.
The first game saw the Redbirds record five hits, including three doubles, but could not string them together managing only one run in the nine-inning contest. Murray State scattered 12 hits finding holes in the Illinois State infield throughout the game with 11 singles. Kyle Bloom (1-0) threw a one-hit shutout in game two striking out five in six innings and looking impressive in his season debut.
In the first game, you could tell that our team hadnt been out on the dirt, but we got the kinks out said Illinois State head coach Jim Brownlee. Kyle pitched really well for us and has worked hard in the weight room to increase the velocity on his fastball. They had timely hits in the first game, but we got the timely hits in the second game.
In game one, the Redbirds had trouble getting started on the offensive side falling 1-2-3 in the first two innings. In the bottom of the second, the Breds got on the scoreboard with a run after Brett McCutchan was hit by a Mike Quinlan pitch to lead off the inning and later scored on a single by Geoff Kirksey.
ODell hit a two-out, stand-up double to left field, but was unable to cross the plate for the Redbirds in the top of the third after Jeremy Pickrel flew out to the warning track in right field for the final out. Quinlan (0-1), the Redbird starter in game one, found himself in a jam after giving up three consecutive base hits to load the bases and then walking in a run to give Murray State a 2-0 lead.
Murray State starter Kyle Perry (1-0) continued to strike out Redbird batters collecting his fifth K of the game in the top of the fourth, but Quinlan responded with a 1-2-3 out frame. Jay Molina led off the fifth with a stand-up double to left-center, but got stranded as Perry retired the next three Illinois State batters.
Todd Stein came in to relieve Quinlan with one out in the bottom of the fifth after three straight Murray State singles, including an RBI base hit by Matt Rebout. The Breds finished the inning with five consecutive hits and extended their lead to 6-0. Brady Salter came out on the mound for the Redbirds in the sixth and was able to keep the ball in the infield retiring three of the four batters he faced.
With one out in the seventh, Illinois State got on the scoreboard when Accardo hit a RBI double off the left field wall to score Molina from first and narrow the Thoroughbreds lead to five, 6-1. The Birds had opportunities late in the game leaving two runners stranded in the eighth, but could not put up any more runs.
Illinois State wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, 1-0, in game two with Pickrel leading off the game with a base hit to centerfield, stealing second and later scoring on an RBI ground-out to second by Peacock. Thoroughbred starter Craig Ringwald walked the bases loaded after getting two quick outs in the second and an error by Ronnie Seets brought two more Birds across the plate to extend their lead, 3-0.
ODell added a run for Illinois State in the fourth inning when he crushed a homer over the left field wall to match his season total for home runs in 2002. Pickrel was able to score on a Peacock single after reaching second on a stand-up double to left field. Peacock scored on a Molina single in the next at-bat to tack on three runs in the fourth and give the Birds a 6-0 lead over the Breds.
The Redbirds added a run in the sixth when Molina grounded into a double play but was able to bring Pickrel home from third on the play to give Illinois State a 7-0 advantage. The Birds scored their final run of the game on a RBI single by Nate Whitney that brought Chris Shepherd home.
The Redbirds continue the series Sunday with a nine-inning game scheduled for 1 p.m.
