April 12, 2008
Final Stats
NORMAL, Ill. -
Freshman Kevin Tokarski collected a career-high four hits, while freshman Ronnie Calvird and senior Kevin Konsler each connected on their first home runs of the season, but it wasn't enough. The Illinois State baseball team (13-16, 3-8 MVC) dropped an 11-7 decision to Northern Iowa in a Missouri Valley Conference game Saturday at Duffy Bass Field.
Tokarski finished the game 4-for-5 with two doubles, an RBI and three runs scored to lead the Redbird offense, which collected 11 hits. Calvird was the only other Redbird to record multiple hits, the second baseman finished 2-for-5 with a RBI. Senior Tyler Cox (3-1) suffered his first loss of the season, after allowing five runs on eight hits, while walking two and striking out six in five innings of work.
The Redbirds were unable to keep the UNI attack at bay during key situations, as ISU surrendered eight runs with two outs in the game. Illinois State also missed out on scoring opportunities, as the Redbirds left 11 runners on base.
"Northern Iowa got some timely hits today, and we really struggled to bring home runners once we got them on base," said Illinois State head coach Jim Brownlee. "We have been leaving a lot of runners on base in our last two conference series, and I don't know if we are changing our approach in the batter's box. Northern Iowa is a pretty good hitting team, as we gave up two four-run innings."
The Panthers, who improved to 19-10 overall and 7-1 in the MVC, were led by center fielder Brett Douglas, who batted 4-for-4 with a home run, two doubles and three RBI. The Panthers finished the game with 15 hits, as Dane Embury, Brandon Douglas and Chris Lopez all hit home runs and collected two hits apiece.
The Redbirds grabbed an early 2-1 lead after two innings, as Illinois State scored a run in each of the first two frames. Sophomore Gabe DeMarco hit an RBI single to score the first run of the ball game in the bottom of the first, as Tokarski scored after recording a one-out single. Calvird re-gained the lead for the `Birds in the bottom of the second, as the Farmington, Mo., native took the first pitch of the inning deep over the left field wall for his first-career round-tripper.
But the Panthers were able to re-gain the lead in the top of the third, as Cox surrendered four runs on four hits in the frame, highlighted by two-run hits from first baseman Brett Featherston and Brett Douglas. Illinois State cut the lead down to one run, 5-4, in the bottom half of the frame after junior Mike Stalowy reached on an error and scored on a double from Tokarski, who later scored on an error by the Panthers' second baseman.
Northern Iowa pulled away in the top of the sixth, as the Panthers put four more runs on the board on three hits, which came off Redbird reliever Kyle Nelson. After UNI added another run in the seventh, senior Kyle Cherney recorded an RBI single to score junior Kevin Dubler and Tokarski, which cut the Panthers' advantage to 10-6.
Konsler scored the Redbirds' final run of the game in the bottom of the eighth, as the right fielder lined a pitch down the left field line for his first home run since May 14, 2005.
The Redbirds will wrap up their three-game series against Northern Iowa Sunday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
