March 31, 2007
Game One Box Score
| Game Two Box Score
NORMAL, Ill. -
When Friday's baseball game was postponed due to heavy rain, the Illinois State Redbirds and Missouri State Bears were forced to play a double-header on Saturday at Redbird Field. The circumstances worked out well for ISU (11-13, 2-3 MVC), as the `Birds won both games over MSU (15-11, 2-3 MVC) to take a 2-0 series lead.
Junior Eric Theisen (2-4) controlled the first game on the mound for ISU, as he held the Bears to just six hits in seven and a third innings to lead his team to a 3-1 victory. Missouri State ace Ross Detwiler (3-2) suffered the loss after giving up three earned runs on eight hits in six innings on the mound.
The game was a pitcher's duel for the first four innings until ISU put three runs on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth inning off Detwiler. A one-out, two-run double to left field by Kevin Dubler plated Collin Salzenstein and Ryan Anetsberger for the first two runs of the inning and put ISU up 2-0. After Dubler stole third base, Kevin Konsler reached on an infield single and brought in Dubler for the third run of the inning.
Missouri State would get one run in the top of the eighth inning on a Ben Woodbury RBI single, but that would be as close as the Bears would come. Jim Sajewich threw one and two-thirds innings in relief of Theisen to earn his first career save for ISU and secured the 3-1 opening game victory. In addition, Anetsberger extended his hitting streak to 13 games with two hits in the game for ISU.
In game two, it was Missouri State who took the first lead of the game on a Ben Carlson RBI single in the top of the first inning off ISU starter Luke Baughman. However, ISU fight back in the bottom of the second inning with two runs to take a 2-1 lead. With one out, Kyle O'Brien and Jesse Griswold reached on back-to-back singles and then advanced to third and second bases, respectively, on a wild pitch. Kyle Cherney then doubled to left field to bring in both runners and gave ISU the one run advantage.
That lead would hold for ISU until the top of the ninth inning, when Matt Lawson scored on a Chris Playter single to tie the game at 2-2. The game would then go into extra innings, with the `Birds eventually coming out on top. In the bottom of the 11th inning, pinch hitter Nick Crist came up with runners on first and second with no outs and laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt. Unfortunately for Missouri State, Playter overthrew first base which allowed Griswold to score from second base and give ISU a 3-2 extra-inning win.
O'Brien (2-1) earned the win for ISU, after allowing just three hits in three scoreless innings of relief of Baughman and Sajewich. Austin Todd (1-2) suffered the loss for Missouri State after allowing the go-ahead run in the bottom of the 11th inning in relief of starter Scott Carroll.
Illinois State head coach Jim Brownlee was proud of the way his team battled on Saturday, especially on the pitcher's mound.
"Winning ball games is a lot easier when the guy in the middle of the diamond does his job," said Brownlee. "All of our pitchers did what they were supposed to do and I am excited for coach (Seth) Kenny and his pitching staff, because they did a bang-up job. Theisen, Sajewich, Baughman and O'Brien all battled out there and if they can continue to pitch the way they did today, we are going to be very successful. I also thought we swung the bat extremely well against two guys who have a chance to pitch in the big leagues in Detwiler and Carroll. One week ago, we were pressing too much and I thought we got back to the basics of Redbird baseball today."
The two teams will play the final game of the three-game weekend series on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Redbird Field.
