Junior Blake Schoonover had three RBI and freshman Lee Fischer went 2-4 with two RBI as the Redbirds downed Bucknell 6-2 Monday morning at the IMG Academy Fields in Bradenton, Fla. Illinois State got all six of its RBI from the six through nine batters in the lineup.
Picking up the win for Illinois State (6-7) was senior Matt Fowles. In his first start of the season, Fowles (2-0), worked six innings and gave up only two runs and four hits while striking out three. Eric Theisen came on to pitch the final three innings of the game, striking out six en route to picking up his first save of the season
Taking the loss for Bucknell was left-hander Tim Peacock (0-2), who lasted 5.1 innings and gave up four earned runs.
Bucknell (0-8) got on the board in the top of the first, as Ryan Gryskevicz doubled in Matt Capece to give the Bison an early 1-0 lead. They would add to that lead in the second, when Ed Rubbo hit a solo home run to push the BU advantage to 2-0 after two.
The score remained 2-0 until the bottom of the fifth, when Blake Schoonover drove in Lee Fischer to get ISU on the board.
In the bottom of the sixth, Fischer would again be in the middle of the action, this time giving the 'Birds their first lead of the game. With Luke Baughman on first and Jay Molina on second, both runners moved up on a double steal. Fischer then singled to the right-center gap, bringing in both runners and giving Illinois State a 3-2 lead. The Redbirds would continue their sixth inning assault as Schoonover and Chris Frank had back-to-back RBI hits to move the ISU lead to 5-2 after six.
Schoonover would drive in his third run of the game in the eighth to make the score 6-2 and preserve the Redbird win.
Illinois State will take on Indiana tomorrow in their fourth game of their eight-game spring trip. First pitch is set for 1:30 p.m. CST from the IMG Academy Fields in Bradenton, Fla. Freshman Josh Eidt (0-0) will make his first career start for the Redbirds.
