April 15, 2006
Box Score
NORMAL, Ill. -
Inclement weather forecast for Sunday in Normal, Ill., forced the Illinois State and Bradley baseball teams to reschedule Sunday's Missouri Valley Conference series finale and instead turn Saturday into a doubleheader at Redbird Field. In the first game, the Redbirds topped Bradley 6-3 in a sloppy defensive contest while the Braves got revenge in the second game of the doubleheader with a 4-0 shutout, the second for Bradley in the series. Bradley (18-15, 9-3 MVC) therefore won the series 2-1, while the Redbirds (12-22, 5-7 MVC) took one game from the MVC leaders.
The two teams combined for seven errors in the first game of the day, with the Redbirds being responsible for four of the seven and Bradley committing three. ISU jumped out to the early lead on a two-run double by Kevin Dubler in the bottom of the second inning, which scored Blake Schoonover and Brian Davis to make the score 2-0. The `Birds would follow those runs with four in the bottom of the third inning to extend the lead to 6-0. Jesse Griswold's two run single up the middle started the scoring in the inning and he would later score when Davis reached on an error to push the lead to five runs at 5-0. Davis would also score later in the inning on a Schoonover triple to give ISU its sixth run of the game.
Bradley would score a run in the top of the fourth inning and two more in the top of the fifth inning to put its three runs on the scoreboard. All three runs came courtesy of Colby Luttrell, as he reached safely on an error in the fourth inning allowing Jason Newburger to score and then hit a two-run single through the left side of the infield in the fifth inning to push across the final two runs of the game.
Freshman Ian Berger (3-4) earned the win for the Redbirds after allowing just three hits while striking out five Bradley hitters and allowing just three runs, none of which were earned, in seven innings. Junior Mike Hlavacek then came on to work the final two innings and earn his sixth save of the season. Collin Walker (1-3) suffered the loss for Bradley in eight innings of work and surrendered 11 hits which resulted in six ISU runs, only four of which were attributed to Walker.
The second game of the day was the complete opposite of the first, as the game was scoreless for the first four innings of play. Bradley struck first with two runs in the top of the fifth inning, highlighted by Tony DiMonte's RBI double, to take the lead 2-0. A suicide squeeze by Pat Ryerson that scored Ryan Eigsti in the seventh inning would bring the third Bradley run across the plate and the Braves would put a cap on the game in the top of the eighth on a RBI single by Ryan Curry to bring the score to its final at 4-0.
Jim Sajewich (1-4) suffered the loss for the Redbirds in the second game after allowing two earned runs on six hits in six innings on the mound. Bradley freshman Collin Brennan improved to 5-0 in 2006 with the win, allowing just six hits in 7.1 innings of work. Michael Christl finished out the game for the Braves, preserving the shut-out and giving Bradley its fourth-consecutive MVC series win.
With hits in both games, Kris Jenkins increased his hitting streak to eleven games. Also chipping in was Ryan Anetsberger, who finished with five combined hits and scored a run in the two games on Saturday.
The Redbirds return to action on Tuesday, April 18, with a non-conference match-up with in-state foe Illinois. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Redbird Field, where it will be "Jimmy Buffett Night."
