Feb. 27, 2009
MURRAY, Ky. - Tyler McNeely scored three runs and Corey Maines struck out seven batters in a 5-3 series-opening win by Illinois State but the Redbirds fell 1-0 in a pitcher's duel in the second game to split a doubleheader with Murray State at Reagan Field Friday afternoon.
McNeely reached base in each of his first three at-bats, twice on infield singles, and scored runs for Illinois State (2-3) in the first, third and fifth innings. Collin Salzenstein finished the first game 1-for-4 and drove in McNeely twice.
Maines seemed to get stronger as the game went on, and earned his first win of the season by retiring 16 of the last 18 batters after giving up three runs in the second inning. Maines walked just two batters in the game - both with two outs in the second - and loaded the bases when he hit Murray State's Daniel Miller. Elliot Frey cleared the bases with a triple down the left field line, one of just five hits for Murray State, and gave the Thoroughbreds a 3-1 lead.
McNeely reached third in the second inning after a hard hit ball to right field was misplayed by Daniel Hill and scored on a wild pitch to cut the lead to 3-2. Illinois State got four consecutive hits with two outs in the fifth inning and scored Jake Thornton and McNeely to go ahead 4-3. The Redbirds added a run in the sixth on a double by Maines and an RBI single by Evan Kohli.
"The thing I like the most is that we didn't let the three-run inning bother us," Illinois State head coach Jim Brownlee said. "It didn't even faze our kids and I felt in the dugout like we would win the game because of their attitude and we did. Corey really got stronger as the game went on - he made some good pitches and it was a great outing for him."
In the second game Illinois State's Ryan Copeland and Murray State's Daniel Calhoun went toe-to-toe for seven innings but an error lead to an unearned run for Murray State in the bottom of the fourth and the Thoroughbreds won the duel 1-0.
Copeland (1-1) struck out three and issued just one walk - an intentional free pass to Tyler Owen to escape a jam in the sixth inning. Copeland matched Calhoun with four hits allowed and went the distance for the second time this season.
Calhoun struck out eight and didn't walk any Illinois State batters. Calhoun also pitched a complete game and worked around two lead off singles in the top of the seventh inning.
Illinois State and Murray State will attempt to take the field for a 1:00 p.m. game Saturday, but expected poor weather overnight could force a change in the schedule. The Redbirds and Thoroughbreds will play the series finale on Sunday at noon.
