April 27, 2007
Box Score
PEORIA, Ill. -
The Illinois State baseball team headed into Friday's series opener with Bradley with no errors in its past three games. However, errors were prevalent for the Redbirds (18-21, 8-8 MVC) at O'Brien Field and Bradley (21-16, 5-8 MVC) took advantage by scoring nine runs, only six of which were earned, and defeated ISU by a score of 9-6.
ISU starter Eric Theisen (3-6) suffered the loss after allowing five runs, three of which were earned, on just four hits in six innings of work on the mound. BU starter Michael Christl (3-5) threw seven innings on the hill and allowed five earned runs, but it was enough to pick up the victory. Reliever Chris Wright then bailed out fellow reliever Tyler Thornton to pick up his fourth save of the season.
Bradley took an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning off Theisen. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Justin Carr reached on a fielder's choice as Dan Brewer scored the first run of the game. Ryan Eigsti then singled to drive in the second run of the inning and Carr later scored on a throwing error by ISU first baseman Jesse Griswold to give Bradley a three-run advantage.
After two scoreless innings, the Redbirds answered with two runs in the top of the fourth inning to cut the Bradley lead to one run at 3-2. With one out, Ryan Anetsberger singled and Kevin Dubler walked to give the `Birds two base runners. Griswold was up next and singled into right field and then advanced to second base as Bradley tried to throw out Anetsberger at home plate to no avail. Mike Stalowy then drove in Dubler from third base on a deep fly ball to right field to give ISU its second run of the game.
The Braves would then score two more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to once again take a three-run advantage, this time by a score of 5-2. Carr's sacrifice fly plated the first run of the inning for the Braves and Paul Rice, who reached on a bunt single, scored on a failed pickoff attempt by Theisen for the second run of the inning.
In the top of the sixth inning, ISU scored a run on back-to-back doubles by Kyle O'Brien and Kyle Cherney to cut the lead to 5-3. Bradley would come right back, though, with two runs in the bottom of the frame off ISU reliever Jim Sajewich to widen its lead to 7-3.
The Redbirds would not go away, as they scored three runs in the top of the eighth inning to cut the BU lead to one run at 7-6. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Griswold singled into right field to score Matt Bolt and then Stalowy was hit by a pitch to force in Anetsberger from third base for the second run of the inning. ISU still had the bases loaded with no outs when O'Brien popped up to Brewer at shortstop for the first out of the inning. Cherney then followed with a bases loaded walk to force in Dubler from third base for the third and final run of the inning.
Unfortunately for the Redbirds, Bradley would answer with two runs courtesy of a Rice single up the middle in the bottom half of the inning to take a 9-6 lead. That is where the score would stay, as the Redbirds could not score in the ninth inning off Wright. Mike Tokarski was 2-for-3 with a walk on the day out of the nine hole in the lineup for ISU, while Griswold, Cherney and Stalowy each contributed two RBI in the loss.
The two teams return to action on Saturday at noon for the second game of the weekend series at O'Brien Field. Senior Mike Hlavacek (2-1) will take the mound for ISU looking to even the series at one game apiece.
