April 15, 2007
Box Score - Game 1 | Box Score - Game 2
NORMAL, Ill. - Inclement weather forced the Illinois State Redbirds and the Indiana State Sycamores to play a Sunday doubleheader at Redbird Field in order to finish their three-game weekend Missouri Valley Conference series. However, neither team was in ready for what was in store as the teams played a total of 21 innings as the Redbirds (16-17, 7-5 MVC) won the first game by a total of 16-6 in the eight-inning run rule contest and the Sycamores (17-16, 2-7 MVC) took the second game by a score of 10-8 in 13 innings.
Illinois State won the series 2-1, which secured its third-straight series win in Missouri Valley Conference play and added upped its record at home in the Valley to 5-1.
In the first game, Indiana State took a 2-0 lead into the third inning, but the Redbirds exploded for nine runs in the bottom of the third to blow the game open at 9-2. Collin Salzenstein, Ryan Anetsberger, Kevin Dubler, Jesse Griswold and Mike Stalowy each recorded an RBI before Mike Tokarski laced a two-run triple to left field to make the score 8-2 in favor of the 'Birds with two outs. Matt Bolt later added a RBI single to plate Tokarski for the ninth and final run of the inning, which proved to be the highest scoring frame of the season for the 'Birds.
The Redbirds would add a run in the bottom of the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly from Bolt to make the score 10-2 before Indiana State answered back with three runs in the top of the sixth inning to cut the Illinois State lead in half at 10-5. But, the Redbirds continued their hot hitting in the bottom of the seventh inning, as they scored two more runs to make the score 12-5. Indiana State would then come back with a run in the top of the eighth inning to cut the lead to 12-6.
However, the 'Birds wanted the game over early and succeeded by scoring four runs in bottom of the eighth to win the game 16-6 by the 10-run rule after seven innings of play, per MVC rules. The lopsided win fell in favor of Redbird starter Mike Hlavacek (2-0), who threw 5.1 innings on the mound and allowed five earned runs on eight hits while striking out four batters.
In the second game, Indiana State once again jumped out to an early lead courtesy of a three-run home run by Nick Ciolli in the top of the first inning off Redbird starter Luke Baughman. Illinois State would quickly cut into that lead in the bottom of the first inning on a RBI double by Kevin Dubler, which made the score 3-1. But, the Sycamores once again were resilient and added a run in the top of the second inning to take a 4-1 advantage.
Illinois State would then tie the game at 4-4 with three runs in the bottom of the third inning. Bolt led off the inning with a solo home run, his team-leading seventh of the season, to start the ISU rally. Dubler later drove a one-out double into the right-centerfield gap to score Anetsberger and Kyle Cherney walked with the bases loaded to score Dubler from third to knot the game at 4-4.
The Redbird broke the tie in the bottom of the fourth inning with two more runs to take a 6-4 lead after four innings of play. Indiana State came right back, though, and plated two runs in the top of the fifth inning to tie the game once again at 6-6. After a scoreless sixth inning, the Sycamores and the Redbirds each scored a run in the seventh inning to tie the game at 7-7.
That is where the game would stay until the 13th inning, when Indiana State's Ciolli hit his second home run of the game, this time a three-run shot to give the Sycamores a 10-7 advantage. The Redbirds would try to claw back in the bottom of the inning, but could only push one run across the plate and the Sycamores earned the split on the day and a 10-8 victory. Freshman Dan Weston (0-1) suffered the loss for the Redbirds, after allowing the three-run home run in the final inning.
Illinois State continues its eight-game homestand on Tuesday when it squares off against in-state rival Illinois in a mid-week showdown. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. on "Jimmy Buffett Night" at Redbird Field.
