April 28, 2006
Box Score
EVANSVILLE, Ind. -
The Illinois State baseball team resumed Missouri Valley Conference play on Friday against the Evansville Purple Aces looking to move up in the congested Valley standings. Everything was going according to plan for ISU until the bottom of the seventh inning, as a five-run rally propelled the Aces (26-18, 9-7 MVC) to a 6-3 victory over the Redbirds (14-26, 5-8 MVC) at Braun Stadium.
Junior Mike Hlavacek (1-1) suffered the loss after giving up three runs and four hits in relief of freshman starter Ian Berger, who deserved to win the game according to ISU head coach Jim Brownlee.
"Ian pitched his heart out tonight and really deserved for something good to come out of this start," said Brownlee. "Unfortunately, our bullpen could not shut Evansville down and we lost another game late due to a big inning."
Evansville starter Adam Rogers (5-3) earned the win for the Purple Aces, giving up the three runs on eight hits in seven innings of work.
The Redbirds put a crooked number on the scoreboard in the top of the third inning, scoring three runs on two hits to take a 3-0 lead. ISU loaded the bases with one out, and Jesse Griswold made the best of his RBI chance by roping a single into right center field to bring in Kyle O'Brien and Brian Davis for a 2-0 lead. Ryan Anetsberger's sacrifice fly then scored Matt Bolt for the third run of the inning, to widen the ISU lead to three runs at 3-0.
However, the Purple Aces would answer with a run in the bottom half of the third inning to cut into the ISU lead. Kasey Wahl reached first on a fielder's choice and Kirk Bacsu tripled down the right field line to score Wahl and make the score 3-1 after three innings of play.
Both starters settled down after the third inning, as both teams went scoreless for the next three innings. After a scoreless top half of the seventh inning, the Purple Aces exploded after the seventh-inning stretch with five runs on six hits to take a 6-3 lead. A two-out RBI single by Watts started the five run rally and knocked Berger out of the game with the score at 3-2.
Hlavacek then came on to close out the inning, but the Evansville hitters roughed up the ISU closer. A Wahl double pushed Kern Watts across the plate for the second run of the inning to tie the score at 3-3, but the Purple Aces would soon take the lead on a two-run triple by Pat Tumilty and Robbie Minor RBI single would complete the comeback and give the Aces a 6-3 lead. Scott Souther would then come on in the eighth and close the door for the Redbirds for his second save of the season to give Evansville a 6-3 win.
Griswold paced the ISU offense with two hits and two RBI, while Bolt, Davis and Nick Crist each contributed two hits in the game. Wahl and Bacsu each had three hits to lead the Evansville offense, while Tumilty's two RBI proved to be the game winners for the Purple Aces.
Brownlee was disappointed with the outcome and knows that his team will have to get tougher and play better fundamentally to even up the series tomorrow.
"It seems like teams in our conference are just tougher than we are," said Brownlee. "Evansville never gave up tonight and clawed their way to the win. On the other hand, we made some crucial mistakes in the field that cost us runs and seemed to get complacent after the early lead. We have to shed that mentality quickly and come out tomorrow determined to play better and fight for a win."
The second game of the three-game weekend set will take place at 1 p.m. tomorrow, with junior Kitt Kopach (2-6) taking the mound for the Redbirds against Purple Aces' starter Matt Brinkmann (5-3).
