May 10, 2008
Final Stats
NORMAL, Ill. -
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the 12th inning, senior Kyle Cherney delivered a single down the right field line to give the Illinois State baseball team a hard-fought, 2-1 victory over in-state rival Southern Illinois in the night cap of a Missouri Valley Conference doubleheader Saturday at Duffy Bass Field. Cherney's game-winning hit salved a split with SIU in Saturday's doubleheader and kept alive the Redbirds' chances to qualify for the 2008 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
The Redbirds (22-26, 6-15) enjoyed another strong start from senior Eric Theisen, who allowed only one run on four hits in 7.1 innings of work. ISU also received a lift out of the bullpen from freshman Kyle Nelson (2-1), who gave up only one hit in 4.2 innings of relief. Cherney led the Redbird attack, as the third baseman batted 3-for-6 with a double and a RBI. Freshman Ronnie Calvird also had a nice day at the plate, as he went 2-for-3 with a walk.
The two teams battled for position until the bottom of the 12th inning, when junior Mike Stalowy led off with a single to right field. Stalowy was able to move into scoring position on the play, as centerfielder Chris Murphy slipped and bobbled the ball as he tried to field the hit. Junior Kevin Dubler was intentionally walked to put two runners on base, while sophomore Anthony Ruffolo also walked to set the stage for Cherney, who ripped the first pitch he saw from SIU reliever Jimmy Cornell down the right field line to end the game.
"That was a great win for our kids, because they could have folded the tents after the first game," said head coach Jim Brownlee. "Eric (Theisen) gave us a big outing and `Nelly" (Kyle Nelson) was also a big lift. Eric was great, especially after he went deep in his last start against Bradley. Kyle was able to come into the game and be `lights out' again as well. It was a good day to pitch because the wind was really blowing in, but we still had our chances to win. SIU really made some great defensive plays during the course of the game, so it was a good college game."
The Salukis got on the board first in the top of the second, as left fielder Dean Cademartori was hit by a pitch and scored on a double from designated hitter Tyler Bullock. But Theisen settled down and retired the side in the third, fourth and sixth innings to keep SIU at bay. The Redbirds answered in the bottom of the fourth, as Cherney led off the frame with a double to right center field and senior Kevin Konsler (1-for-4) followed with an RBI single to right field.
Both teams couldn't get anything going again until the top of the eighth. Theisen gave up a single and intentionally walked catcher Mark Kelly with one out to give SIU a scoring chance, and Nelson came into the game and walked Cademartori to load the bases. Bullock stepped up and lined a groundball at Stalowy, who was able to secure the ball and throw to second to get a runner out. Freshman Kevin Tokarski then flipped the ball back to first, and Nelson alertly covered the bag and dug Tokarski's throw out of the dirt for a 3-6-1 double play to end the threat.
"Kyle made an unbelievable play when SIU had the bases loaded in the eighth inning," said Brownlee. "That's a play that a lot of people probably won't talk about, but it was a play that really helped us win the ballgame. I'm just really happy for our kids for the way they were able to battle and pull out a win."
After both teams went down in the ninth, Stalowy got the Redbirds going in the 10th with a one-out walk. Ruffolo followed with a walk to give ISU two bases runners, while Cherney delivered a single to right field with two outs. Stalowy was waved around as he made his way to third, but right fielder Aaron Roberts threw a strike to home plate to get the sliding first baseman to end the inning and push the game further into extra-innings.
The Redbirds had a chance to end the game an inning later (11th), as Konsler walked and moved to second on a wild pitch from right-hander Bryant George. Calvird moved him 90 feet closer on a sacrifice bunt, and freshman Corey Maines followed with a walk to put runners on the corners with one out. After the Salukis were able to retire the next Redbird batter on a strike out, Tokarski hit a ground ball up the middle. SIU second baseman Scott Elmendorf made a diving stop to keep the ball in the infield, and was able to throw from his knees to get Tokarski at first on a close play to end the inning.
The Redbirds will travel to Kalamazoo, Mich., to face Western Michigan Tuesday (May 13) in their final non-conference game of 2008. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.
