March 4, 2006
Box Score | Quotes
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Coming off a 4-2 win against Southern Mississippi yesterday, the Illinois State baseball team was looking to get their second win of the season on Saturday against the Golden Eagles. However, a late rally by Southern Mississippi dashed the Redbirds' hopes of winning two straight as ISU was defeated 4-3 in front of a raucous crowd of 3,174 fans at Hill Denson Field. ISU (1-6) is now 0-4 in one run games this season and USM improves to 8-3 overall.
The Redbirds received another strong pitching performance from freshman Jim Sajewich, as the right-hander gave up just one run on two hits in 7.0 innings of work. Relievers Dan Sorce and Kitt Kopach could not close out the game, however, as the Golden Eagles scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to secure the victory. Kopach (0-2) was saddled with the loss for ISU, while Ryan Belanger (3-0) picked up the win for USM and Daniel Best closed the game for his fourth save of the season.
Southern Mississippi struck first, scoring a run in the bottom of the first off Sajewich. Michael Ewing's RBI single scored Trey Sutton and gave the Golden Eagles a 1-0 lead early. But, Sajewich shook off the early run and gave up just one hit in six innings after that, giving the Redbirds a chance to earn another victory.
ISU tied the score in the top of the fourth inning on a Kyle O'Brien sacrifice fly that scored Gabe DeMarco. The Redbirds would take the lead in the sixth inning after two errors by the Golden Eagles gave the `Birds much needed base runners. After DeMarco reached on an error, speedster Mike Tokarski came on to pinch run for DeMarco and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Tokarski then scored when Jay Molina reached base on the second error of the inning to give ISU a 2-1 lead.
A sacrifice fly by Molina that scored Matt Bolt extended ISU's lead to 3-1 after the top half of the eighth inning, but the "big inning" would come back to bite the Redbirds as the Golden Eagles scored three runs on four hits and an error in the bottom of the eighth inning to win 4-3.
Molina, Kevin Konsler and Stalowy had the only three hits for the Redbirds on the afternoon, while Molina and O'Brien were responsible for the two RBI. Ewing and Sutton paced the Golden Eagles with two hits apiece, while Ewing and Luke Adkins knocked in two and one RBI, respectively.
ISU will complete the three-game weekend series with Southern Miss tomorrow. Junior Dan Frega (0-2) will take the mound for the Redbirds, with the first pitch scheduled at noon.
