May 17, 2007
Box Score
WICHITA, Kan. -
The Illinois State baseball team headed into Wichita, Kan., looking to upset No. 12 ranked Wichita State in their home park. For most of the game, the Redbirds (20-29, 8-14 MVC) were in control but a three-run seventh inning propelled the Shockers (44-17, 18-4 MVC) to a 7-5 come-from-behind victory in front of 3,395 fans at Eck Stadium.
ISU reliever Jim Sajewich (3-2) suffered the loss for the Redbirds, after giving up the final two Wichita State runs in relief of starter Ryan Copeland. WSU starter Travis Banwart (9-4) picked up the win for the Shockers, but struggled as he allowed five earned runs on nine hits in seven inning of work. Reliever Noah Booth recorded the last six outs of the game and allowed just one hit to pick up his fifth save of the season for Wichita State.
Redbird head coach Jim Brownlee was proud of the way his team started the game, but wished they could have closed out the No. 12 ranked Shockers.
"We have a lot of young guys playing right now and I was proud of the way they responded to the environment early in the game," said Brownlee. "Ryan Copeland was great tonight and unfortunately our bullpen just couldn't close out the game for him. When (Kevin) Dubler hit that home run in the seventh inning, I thought we were in control. But, we didn't make the plays down the stretch and you can't do that if you expect to be a nationally ranked team like Wichita in their home park."
Illinois State jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Collin Salzenstein led off the game with an infield single deep in the hole at shortstop and then advanced to third base as Matt Bolt ripped the first pitch he saw through the left side of the infield on a well-executed hit-and-run. Ryan Anetsberger followed and singled into right field, the third-straight single to lead off the game, and Salzenstein scored from third as Bolt advanced to third base. Kevin Dubler then grounded out to second base, but it was good enough for Bolt to race home for the second run of the inning and give ISU a two-run advantage.
The Shockers collected four hits through the first two innings of play and threatened, but could not push a run across the plate until the bottom of the third inning. With one out, Andy Dirks walked and Derek Schermerhorn hit a grounder to Salzenstein at shortstop, however the ball was bobbled and Salzenstein could only get the out at first base instead of turning the double play. That bobble would prove costly, as Damon Sublett singled in Dirks from second base to cut the ISU lead to 2-1.
In the top of the third inning, ISU tacked on its third run of the game to take a 3-1 lead over WSU. Kyle Cherney walked to lead off the inning and then advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Mike Tokarski. Cherney then advanced to third base on a Salzenstein ground out for the second out of the inning. Bolt was up next and laid down a perfect bunt down the third base line as Cherney raced home to once again give the `Birds a two-run lead.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Shockers answered back with a run of their own to cut the lead to one run. Conor Gillaspie led off the inning with double over the head of Bolt in right field and later came around to score on a Josh Workman RBI single and cut the lead to 3-2. The Shockers would then tie the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning on a solo home run by Schermerhorn over the left field wall, his sixth of the season.
The Redbirds regained the lead in the top of the seventh thanks to some clutch two-out hitting. Anetsberger started the two-out rally with a double into the left-centerfield gap. Dubler then took the first pitch he saw from Banwart over the right field wall for his fourth home run of the season and gave the `Birds a 5-3 lead.
That lead would not last long, though, as the Shockers took their first lead of the game at 6-5 with three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, highlighted by a two-run double by Matt Brown off Sajewich and a RBI single from pinch-hitter Tyler Hill. WSU tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning to extend its lead to 7-5 headed into the ninth inning.
Game two of the series will take place on Friday at 7 p.m. at Eck Stadium. ISU senior right-hander Mike Hlavacek (2-4, 5.81 ERA) will face off against WSU lefty Rob Musgrave (7-2, 2.99 ERA).
