May 12, 2006
Box Score
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -
The Illinois State baseball team was looking to build on the momentum gained from last weekend's series win over Missouri Valley Conference leader Wichita State against the Missouri State Bears on Friday. However, a strong pitching performance from the Bears (25-20, 10-8 MVC) and struggles at the plate for Redbirds (18-29, 8-11 MVC) resulted in a 6-2 victory for Missouri State in the opener of a three-game MVC series at Hammond Field.
Freshman Ian Berger (5-5) suffered the loss after allowing six earned runs in six innings on the mound for ISU. MSU starter Scott Carroll (5-4) was strong for the Bears, allowing just one run on four hits in seven innings of work. Chris Krawczyk picked up his seventh save of the season to close out the game for Missouri State, tying him for second most in a season for MSU.
The Bears got on the board first courtesy of Nolan Keane's sixth home run of the year, a two-run shot to right field, and took the lead 2-0 after the first inning. A two-run double by Jacob Hilgendorf in the bottom of the third inning would then extend the Missouri State lead to 4-0.
However, the Redbirds would get one of those runs back in the top of the fourth inning. A two-out single by Jesse Griswold started the inning and he later advanced to second base on a Carroll wild pitch. Kris Jenkins followed with a single to right field that scored Griswold to cut into the lead 4-1, but Jenkins was caught in a run-down trying to advance to second base and the inning was stalled with just one run.
Missouri State would answer with two runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning to widen the lead to 6-1. With Tanner Mattson on third base, Berger loaded the bases with back-to-back walks to Matt Lawson and Keane. Clay Coulter then singled to right field to score Mattson and Lawson and give the Bears a five-run cushion after four innings of play.
Play was quiet until the ninth inning when the Redbirds attempted to mount a comeback. With the bases loaded and nobody out, the Bears called in Krawczyk from the bullpen to shut down the `Birds and that's what he did. After Chris Frank struck out looking for the first out of the inning, Krawczyk uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Kevin Dubler to score from third base and make the score 6-2. But, that would be the last of the ISU rally as the MSU closer forced Kyle O'Brien and pinch-hitter Brian Davis to strike out and end the game.
ISU head coach Jim Brownlee was disappointed with the level of enthusiasm his team showed on Friday.
"I thought that after the exciting series win over Wichita State last weekend that we would come out fired up today and take it to Missouri State," said Brownlee. "But, Ian struggled on the mound and we couldn't get anything done at the plate. We had our chances, especially in the ninth inning, but could grind it out and fight to come back."
Jenkins had the lone RBI for the Redbirds in the game and Matt Bolt's 12-game hitting streak came to an end as he went 0-for-2 with two walks. Keane, Coulter, and Hilgendorf accounted for all of the MSU RBI in the game and Mattson added two hits to help the Bears to the victory.
The two teams return to action tomorrow for a 2 p.m. start at Hammons Field. Junior Kitt Kopach (3-7) will take the mound for the Redbirds in hopes of evening the series at one game apiece.
