April 11, 2008
Final Stats
NORMAL, Ill. -
Sophomore Ryan Copeland was solid on the mound, allowing only one run in eight innings of work, but the Illinois State baseball team (13-15, 3-7 MVC) finished on the wrong end of a pitchers' duel, 2-1, to Northern Iowa in a Missouri Valley Conference game Friday at Duffy Bass Field.
Copeland allowed five hits while striking out six, but UNI's Guido Fonseca was also up to challenge. Fonseca (7-0) picked up the win after matching Copeland with eight innings pitched, surrendering three hits while walking six and striking out 10. The Redbirds were led offensively by junior Mike Stalowy, who finished 1-for-4 with a walk and a run scored.
Head coach Jim Brownlee was impressed by the performance from Copeland, who finished with 102 pitches (72 for strikes).
"Ryan had a great outing today, as it was about as good of an outing that you could have seen pitched," said Brownlee. "He made only one mistake to (Brandon) Douglas, who's one of the better hitters in the league. That was the only pitch that `Cope' didn't throw well; he really had a great outing."
The Redbirds were able to break the 0-0 stalemate in the bottom of the sixth, after Stalowy led off the frame with a single to right field. Freshman Kevin Tokarski moved Stalowy into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, and junior Kevin Dubler and sophomore Gabe DeMarco followed with back-to-back walks to load the bases with one out. Freshman Ronnie Calvird then walked on five pitches, plating Stalowy to give ISU a 1-0 lead. But the Redbirds could not plate any more runs, as junior Quinn Ewert struck out to end the scoring opportunity.
But the Redbirds' lead was short lived, as the Panthers came back and tied the game with one swing of the bat in the top of the seventh. Shortstop Brandon Douglas led off the inning and fell behind early to Copeland. However, the junior battled back to a 3-2 count and took the next pitch and lined it deep to left field for a solo home run, tying the game at 1-1.
After the Redbirds were unable to take the lead in the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings, the Panthers were able to get a rally started in the top of the ninth. Right fielder Chris Lopez got the rally going when he hit a double off the wall in left field, off Redbird reliever Eric Theisen (3-4) with one out. After first baseman Brett Featherston was intentionally walked, Brett Douglas singled to right field to load the bases. Third baseman Travis Hendrix plated the game-winning run when he hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Lopez.
The Redbirds threatened with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, as pinch hitter Anthony Ruffolo was hit by a pitch and Stalowy walked. But Panther reliever Joe Gonzalez was able to get Tokarski to hit into a fielders' choice at third base to end the game and pick up the save.
The Redbirds will continue their three-game series against Northern Iowa Saturday. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.
