April 1, 2006
Box Score |
Quotes
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -
A season-high 18 hits produced nine runs for the Indiana State Sycamores on Saturday, which resulted in a 9-1 defeat of the Illinois State Redbirds at Sycamore Field in front of 207 chilly fans. The Redbirds (7-16, 2-3 MVC) have managed just eight hits in two games against Indiana State (12-10, 3-2 MVC) pitchers over the weekend, forcing the `Birds into a must win situation to avoid a series sweep in the finale on Sunday.
Freshman Ian Beger (2-4) suffered the loss for the Redbirds. The right-hander surrendered six runs, five of which were earned and the nine Indiana State hits given up tied a season-high for Berger. Ryan Hayes (3-0) earned the win for the Sycamores, going eight strong innings and allowing just one run on five hits.
The Sycamores jumped on Berger early, scoring four runs on five hits in the bottom of the first inning. A two-run single by Marcus Artner started the scoring in the inning for Indiana State and gave the Sycamores an early 2-0 lead. Later in inning, Kyle Kolb added a two-run single of his own that extended the Indiana State lead to 4-0 after the first inning.
Illinois State battled back in the top of the third and cut into the Sycamores' lead at 4-1. After Jay Molina led off the inning with a walk and Mike Stalowy doubled to deep left center field, the Redbirds had runners on second and third base with no one out. Kris Jenkins followed and grounded out to second base, but it was enough to push Molina across home plate from third for the run, the lone Illinois State run of the afternoon.
A two-run bottom of half of the third inning for the Sycamores widened the lead to five. Ryan Bond drove in Cory Kral, after he hit a one-out triple, to make the score 5-1. Following a Kolb single that advanced Bond to third base, a failed pickoff attempt by Redbird reliever Luke Baughman allowed Bond to score for the second run of the inning, bringing the score to 6-1. The Sycamores would then add a run in the bottom of the fourth on a Nevin Ashley sacrifice fly that scored Tim Brewer, to push the lead to 7-1.
Indiana State would put the game out of reach for good with two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, bringing the score to its final at 9-1. Jesse Griswold and Stalowy each had two hits for the Redbirds, with Jay Molina scoring the team's only run. Jake Eigsti finished 4-for-5 with an RBI and run scored for the Sycamores, while Artner and Kolb knocked in two runs apiece.
The finale of the three-game weekend series is set for 1 p.m. EST Sunday at Sycamore Field. Freshman Jim Sajewich (0-2, 6.91 ERA) will take the mound for the Redbirds, looking to even the team's Missouri Valley Conference record at 3-3.
