May 2, 2008
Final Stats
NORMAL, Ill. -
Trailing 11-7 after six and a half innings of play, senior Kevin Konsler and the Illinois State baseball team (20-23, 4-12) rallied to score nine runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a wild, 16-12, come-from-behind win over interstate I-74 rival Bradley in a Missouri Valley Conference game Friday night at Duffy Bass Field. Konsler, who batted 2-for-2 and tallied a career-high six RBI, helped to put the exclamation point on the frame with a towering, three-run home run to left field, as the two teams combined for 28 runs on 35 hits with nine errors.
Konsler led the Redbird hitting attack, as every starting position player recorded at least one hit in the ballgame. Sophomore Anthony Ruffolo went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI, while freshman Corey Maines tallied career-highs in hits (three) and RBI (three) in his first game back after missing the last six games with an injury. Senior Kyle Cherney also had a solid day at the plate, as the third baseman batted 2-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBI. Junior Kevin Dubler was busy on the base paths, as the catcher went 1-for-3 with a solo home run while he scored four times, the most runs scored in a game since Mike Tokarski scored four times against Indiana State April 15, 2007.
Sophomore Ryan Copeland ran into trouble early, as the left-hander lasted only 3.1 innings and surrendered 11 runs on 13 hits while he walked one and struck out two. However, freshman Kyle Nelson (1-1) was the difference out the Redbird bullpen, as the right-hander threw 4.1 innings and gave up only one run on seven hits, while he walked only one and struck out a career-high five batters.
"I'm really proud of our kids, they just really battled and were able to put up a crooked number in the seventh inning," said head coach Jim Brownlee. "Kyle Nelson was outstanding out of the bullpen, just like he was for us last weekend. That really picked our team up. That was the first time all season that Ryan Copeland didn't have his stuff, but Bradley came out smoking. To be able to come back and pick up the victory is just a great win for our kids."
The bottom of the seventh was the key in the game, as Konsler led off the inning with a walk and freshman Ronnie Calvird reached base on an error from the BU shortstop. The error moved both runners into scoring position, and Maines singled to right field to score Konsler. Freshman Kevin Tokarski (1-for-3, two walks) was then hit by a pitch and all three runners advanced on a wild pitch from BU reliever Brad Altbach (4-5). Calvird scored on the pitch and Maines came across the plate on an error from BU catcher Brett Hendricks as he tried to throw home. Dubler walked to put two runners on base, while Ruffolo delivered a two-out double to left field to plate both Dubler and Tokarski to give the `Birds the lead. Konsler then stepped up and crushed the first pitch he saw deep over the left field wall for a three-run shot, while Calvird singled and Maines recorded his second hit of the inning when he drove an RBI double over the BU left fielder's head.
"We missed Corey last weekend," said Brownlee. "He was able to get two hits in one inning. That's a big inning, and he's got it figured out. That will help us down the road as we wrap up conference play. Kevin was able to turn on a fastball in a hurry. He's beginning to really heat up, and we really need that."
The Braves struck first in the top of the first inning, as the first two batters of the game laced first-pitch doubles to the gap in left center field and later scored. But the Redbirds came back in the bottom half and took the lead, 3-2, as Tokarski and Dubler walked and each moved a base on a passed ball. Cherney followed with an RBI single up the middle, while Konsler delivered his first big hit of the game, a double to right field to score two runs. However, the lead would be short lived, as Bradley scored three runs in the top of the second to grab a 5-3 advantage.
Copeland faced his biggest test in the top of the fourth, as the first three batters of the frame reached, all on extra-base hits. After Copeland got his first out of the frame, three more runs crossed the plate and forced the left-hander out of the game with two outs. But Nelson came in and struck out Hendricks swinging to stop the damage at 11-4.
The `Birds were able to chip away at the BU margin in the fifth inning, as Dubler was hit by a pitch and Ruffolo walked, setting the stage for Cherney's RBI single to left center field. Konsler then flied out to center to plate Ruffolo, and Maines singled to bring home Cherney and cut into the deficit, 11-7. The Redbirds were unable to get anything going again until the seventh inning, when Illinois State scored its game-deciding nine runs, as only one was earned.
The Redbirds will face I-74 rival Bradley Saturday in game two of their pivotal Missouri Valley Conference series, with first pitch is slated for 2 p.m.
