April 20, 2007
Box Score
NORMAL, Ill. -
The Illinois State baseball team officially began the second half of Missouri Valley Conference play on Friday night against Evansville and hoped to improve on its 5-1 record at home in Valley action. However, the Redbirds (16-19, 7-6 MVC) missed out on crucial scoring opportunities and left 12 players on base, as the Purple Aces (27-13, 8-5 MVC) earned a 4-1 victory in the series opener at Redbird Field.
Junior Eric Theisen (3-5) battled on the mound for the Redbirds and allowed three runs on seven hits in six innings of work. Unfortunately, his offense was stymied by Evansville starter Ben Norton (8-2) who allowed just one earned run while walking five and striking out seven batters in seven innings of work to pick up his fifth win in Valley play. Matt Brinkmann tossed two scoreless innings to close out the game and picked up his seventh save of the season for UE.
Evansville jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on a Kirk Bacsu RBI single that scored Jim Viscomi in the top of the first inning. The Purple Aces would then tack on their second run of the game in the top of the third inning on a Kasey Wall RBI single to make the score 2-0.
After a scoreless fourth inning, Evansville widened its lead to 3-0 in the top of the fifth inning on a RBI single by Bacsu. The Redbirds then had a chance in the bottom of the fifth inning, as they loaded the bases but could not push a run across the plate and Kevin Dubler flew out to deep centerfield to end the ISU threat.
Illinois State would tack on run in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut the lead to 3-1. Jesse Griswold led off the inning with a double that bounced off the third base bag and ricocheted into left field. After Kyle O'Brien struck out, freshman Anthony Ruffolo walked to keep the inning going, but Kyle Cherney struck out looking for the second out of the inning. Mike Stalowy then came up with two outs and singled into centerfield to bring in Griswold from second base.
With the lead cut down to two runs, Evansville answered immediately with a run off ISU reliever Jim Sajewich in the top of the seventh inning to extend the lead to three runs at 4-1. That is where the score would stay, as Brinkmann shut down ISU for the final two innings of the game to secure the Evansville win.
Stalowy paced the Redbirds with a 3-for-4 performance while driving in the team's lone run. Collin Salzenstein and Griswold also chipped in two hits apiece for ISU in the loss. Bacsu was the offensive star for Evansville, as the catcher went 3-for-4 with three RBI.
The two teams return to action on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Redbird Field. Senior right-hander Mike Hlavacek (2-0, 4.66 ERA) will take the mound for the Redbirds and will face off against Evansville left-hander Kai Tuomi (7-1, 2.29 ERA).
