March 18, 2006
Box Score
NORMAL, Ill. -
Playing in its first double-header of the 2006 season, the Illinois State baseball team was looking to build off of the momentum gained from Friday's 13-8 come-from-behind victory over the Central Michigan Chippewas. After a pitchers duel that resulted in a 2-1 defeat for ISU in the first game of the day, the Redbirds fought back to win the second game 9-5 and split the double-headers Saturday at Redbird Field.
The first game of the day came out in favor of the Chippewas 2-1 after a strong outing on the mound from CMU starter Ben Rodewald (2-0). Rodewald allowed just two hits and one run in the seven-inning contest and pitched six innings, until James Ricchio came on in relief and earned his second save of season to close out the game. ISU starter Kitt Kopach (0-2) suffered the loss, but pitched well in all seven innings played and gave up six hits and two earned runs while striking out eight CMU hitters.
The Chippewas tallied their two runs in the top of the third inning and held the lead from that point. James Teas scored the first CMU run as Cody Allen reached first base on a fielder's choice. Tyler Stovall would then later score on a sacrifice bunt by J.T. Jones to put the Chippewas up 2-0.
ISU's run in the bottom of the seventh inning foiled the CMU chance for a shut-out, but was not enough to win the game. After Nick Crist led oft the inning with a walk and Ryan Anetsberger advanced Crist to third base on a single, Kris Jenkins grounded out to second base to score Crist and bring the score to its final at 2-1.
Anetsberger had two of the three ISU hits in the contest while Jesse Griswold added the other. ISU fell to 3-12 with the loss, while the Chippewas improved to 8-7 overall.
But, in the second game of the double-header, ISU would come out strong and score runs in five of the first six innings to jump out to a 7-0 lead. That support helped earn Ian Berger (2-2) his second win of the season after pitching 5.2 innings and giving up four earned runs while striking out three hitters. Josh Collmenter (2-2) was saddled with the loss for the Chippewas as he gave up seven runs in four innings of work.
An Anetsberger RBI groundout in the first inning pushed the first ISU run across the plate. The `Birds then added two runs in the second, as Mike Tokarski drove in Kyle O'Brien and later scored when Mike Stalowy reached on an error making the score 3-0. After a scoreless third inning, ISU tacked on its fourth run of the day in the fourth inning on a Stalowy sacrifice fly that brought home O'Brien. Three costly CMU errors and two ISU hits in the fifth inning resulted in three more Redbird runs and widened the gap at 7-0.
However, the Chippewas did not give up, as they scored four runs on four hits in the top of the sixth inning to cut into the Redbird lead 7-4. An RBI double by Jones put the first CMU run on the board and Allen later scored on a groundout by Troy Moratti. Noah Lankford capped off the four-run inning with a two-out single that scored Jones and Brad Humphrey.
ISU answered back with two runs in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI double by Griswold and an RBI single by Kevin Dubler to extend the lead to 9-4 after six innings. CMU would tack on one last run in the top of the eighth inning to no avail, to bring the score to 9-5.
Stalowy finished the game with a hit and two RBI, while Molina, Griswold, O'Brien and Mike Tokarski all chipped in two hits to help the `Birds to victory and improve the team's record to 4-12 on the year.
The finale of the four-game series between the two teams will take place Sunday at 1:00 p.m. at Redbird Field. Jim Sajewich (0-1) will take the mound for the Redbirds, as the team looks to win its first series of the season.
