Feb. 20, 2009
Final Stats
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Illinois State got a second chance at a seventh-inning rally and made the most of it, scoring four runs in the final inning en route to a 5-1 win over Belmont in the second game of a season-opening double-header at Greer Stadium Friday. The Redbirds dropped the first game 4-2 after a last-inning rally sputtered.
The Redbirds (1-1) scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning in game two to break open a 1-1 tie and rode Ryan Copeland's four-hit, five-strikeout complete game to victory.
Belmont (1-1) starter Brian Kelley bewildered the Redbirds the first time through the order - facing the minimum through three innings and striking out six batters - but Kevin Tokarski notched the Redbirds' first hit and scored the game's first run in the top of the fourth on a single by Mike Stalowy.
Belmont evened the tally in the bottom of the fourth when Derek Wiley hit a solo home run to left off Copeland, the only run the Redbird left-hander would allow.
Belmont unraveled in the seventh inning, as Stalowy reached on an error to lead off and the Bruins committed two more errors and surrendered a pair of hits that led to the big inning by the Redbirds.
In the first game, Belmont closer Jimmy Stanley struck out Anthony Ruffolo to squash a two-out rally in the seventh inning and secure a 4-2 win for the Bruins.
Belmont used a pair of doubles in the first inning of game one to jump out to an early 2-0 lead and held a 4-1 advantage going into the final inning. Jake Thornton led off the top of the seventh with a single for Illinois State but a strikeout by Kevin Tokarski and a groundout by Collin Salzenstein left the Redbirds with only one out to play with.
Mike Stalowy singled to move Thornton to third and Gabe DeMarco drove in his second run of the game while chasing Belmont starter Nate Woods. Stanley entered the game with runners on first and second and struck out Ruffolo to end the threat and the game.
Woods scattered seven hits over 6.2 innings and struck out six Redbirds while earning his first win of the season. Stanley was credited with his first save of the year.
Illinois State's Corey Maines struck out eight and walked one in the loss. Maines surrendered eight hits, including five doubles.
Due to expected poor weather conditions, game three of the series will be played at 10 a.m. Saturday morning and game four will be played at the regularly schedule 1 p.m. Sunday.
