May 9, 2008
Final Stats
NORMAL, Ill. -
Sophomore Ryan Copeland was in control early on the mound for the Illinois State baseball team, as he retired Southern Illinois in order in four of the first six innings, but the Redbirds (21-25, 5-14) surrendered two runs in the top of the eighth and dropped a 4-3 decision to SIU in a Missouri Valley Conference game Friday night at Duffy Bass Field.
Copeland (4-6) allowed four runs on nine hits, while he walked one and struck out six, but was out-dueled by SIU right-hander Cody Adams, who threw a complete-game. Adams (4-4) allowed three runs (no earned) on eight hits, while he walked only one and struck out eight batters. The Redbirds were led offensively by junior Mike Stalowy, who batted 3-for-4, including a triple and a run scored. Freshman Kevin Tokarski went 2-for-4 with a run scored in the ballgame.
The Redbirds took a 3-2 lead in the eighth inning, but centerfielder Chris Murphy led off the inning with a bunt single and advanced to second on an errant throw to first from Copeland on the play. Murphy then advanced to third on a wild pitch, and second baseman Scott Elmendorf brought him home on a single that got through the right side of the infield to tie the game. After Elmendorf moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, the Redbirds intentionally walked catcher Mark Kelly. Right fielder Aaron Roberts then delivered the deciding blow, as he singled up the middle to plate Elmendorf and give the Salukis a 4-3 margin.
"We have seen that a lot during our Friday night games; we played good enough to lose," said head coach Jim Brownlee. "We have had three big losses on Friday nights. They found a way to win the game, and we can't seem to do that. We had two leads during the game and we couldn't hold on. We had our opportunities to win and we needed a big hit."
The Redbirds grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third, as Stalowy lined a triple to right center field with two outs. The Salukis had trouble getting the ball back into the infield, and Elmendorf's throw to third was high, as it landed in the dugout to score Stalowy on the play. But Southern Illinois came back and gained the lead, 2-1, in the top of the fifth when first baseman Chris Crank hit a two-run home run.
Illinois State battled back in the bottom half of the fifth, as freshman Ronnie Calvird led off the frame with an infield single to second base. Tokarski followed with a single to put two runners on base, while Stalowy loaded the bases when he reached on a fielding error by the second baseman with two outs. Junior Kevin Dubler then lined a single to right field to score two and give the Redbirds a 3-2 cushion.
ISU was unable to get anything going in the batter's box in the final two innings, as Adams induced a double play to end a threat in the eighth and retired the side in the ninth to pick up the victory.
The Redbirds will wrap up their final home series of 2008 when they face SIU in a doubleheader Saturday, beginning at 2 p.m.
