Illinois State looked like a team on a mission through the first four innings. However, Wichita State would eventually start pounding the ball all over and complete their four-game sweep of the Redbirds by winning Sundays finale 15-5 in seven innings at Redbird Field.
Wichita State used the 10-run rule to end the game in the seventh, marking the third time they had done that on the weekend. Illinois State falls to 9-17 overall and 4-8 in the Valley, while WSU improves to 20-5 on the year remains perfect at 12-0 in the Valley. The Redbirds have now lost six in a row.
Illinois State starter Josh Kauten (0-3) took the loss for the Redbirds. He went 5.1 innings and struck out seven, while only allowing three earned runs. Picking up the win for the Shockers was Tommy Hottovy (3-1), who came on in relief of starter Matt Jakubov in the fourth inning. Hottovy struck out a career-high eight in 3.1 innings.
Both teams scored in the first inning and the score remained tied at one until the bottom of the third. In the bottom of the third, Illinois State got three runs, the first of which came on an RBI single by Jeremy Pickrel. After Chris Shepherd stole home on a double-steal, Matt Bolt tripled in Pickrel, to make it 4-1 Illinois State after three.
After Wichita scored in the top of the fourth, ISU answered right back, as Nate Whitney doubled in a run, making it 5-2 at the end of the fourth.
We gave them some runs early but Josh really pitched great today, said head coach Jim Brownlee. Our bullpen let us down again and we continue to hurt ourselves defensively.
Wichita State would go on to score the next 11 runs, including two home runs by both Drew Moffitt and Nick McCoola.
They are very deserving of their national ranking, added Brownlee. When you make a mistake, they capitalize on it. It will be interesting to see how far they go and where they end up at the end of the season.
Illinois State will next be in action on Wednesday, when they play at Purdue at 6:00 p.m. Next weekend the Redbirds will return to conference play in Omaha against Creighton.
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