Feb. 18, 2007
Box Score
ARLINGTON, Texas -- In the finale of the Hilton-Arlington UTA Invitational, the Illinois State baseball team had a big challenge in front of it in the No. 7 ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Redbirds managed pushed three runs across the plate and had seven hits, but it was not enough as ISU (1-2) was defeated by NU (3-1) by a score of 7-3 at Clay Gould Ballpark on Sunday.
Senior Luke Baughman (0-1) suffered the loss for the Redbirds in three and two thirds innings on the mound. Baughman gave up five runs, all of which were earned, on five hits, two walks and three hit batters. Nebraska starter Matt Foust (1-0) earned the win in five innings of work and allowed just on run on four hits while striking out three Redbird hitters.
Nebraska jumped out to an early lead 1-0 lead on a Jake Opitz RBI single in the top of the first inning. However, the Redbirds answered back with run in the bottom of the second inning. Ryan Anetsberger led off the inning with a single to centerfield and then stole second. After Jesse Griswold's ground out to first base advanced Anetsberger to third base, a wild pitch from Nebraska starter Matt Foust allowed Anetsberger to score and tie up the score at 1-1 after two innings.
The Huskers re-took the lead in the top half of the fourth inning, as they scored four runs on three hits to take a 5-1 lead. Thad Weber got the scoring started with a two-run single and Jeff Tezak added a RBI single to bring the score to 4-1. D.J. Belfonte would then bring in Weber later in the inning on a sacrifice bunt to widen the lead to four runs.
A two-run single by Craig Corriston over the top of Griswold's head at first base in the top of the sixth inning extended the Huskers' lead to 7-1. However, the Redbirds would answer with a run in the bottom half of the inning to cut into the Nebraska lead 7-2. A one-out double by Kevin Dubler started the inning off for ISU and Dubler later scored on a two-out, RBI single by Anetsberger down the right field line to cut the lead to five.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Dubler pulled ISU within four on a lead-off solo home run over the right field wall to cut the Nebraska lead to 7-3. The home run was Dubler's first of the season and fifth of his career in a Redbird uniform. However, that would be as close as ISU would come, and Nebraska closed out ISU in the ninth inning to preserve the win.
Dubler and Anetsberger each finished with two hits and a RBI apiece, while Dubler scored two of the three ISU runs in the game. Andy Gerch paved the way for the Huskers, going 5-for-5 with a run scored and a RBI.
Despite his team's 1-2 record on the weekend, ISU head coach Jim Brownlee believes there were a lot of positives that came out of the tournament for the Redbirds.
"On Saturday in the win against New Mexico, our offense stepped up and got some timely hits for us which is promising this early in the year," said Brownlee. "Every problem we had this weekend is very correctable and I think our kids really played hard in a good tournament. For our first time being on the dirt, I think we represented ourselves well and we are looking forward to building and improving heading into the Arkansas series."
Illinois State returns to action next weekend against the nationally ranked Arkansas Razorbacks for a three-game series in Fayetteville, Ark. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 23 at Baum Stadium.
