April 11, 2009
Box Score
Box Score (Game 2) 
NORMAL, Ill. - Illinois State used a walk-off single by Mike Stalowy in the bottom of the ninth to beat Missouri State, 8-7, in game one but couldn't come up with any late inning heroics in an 8-5 loss to the Bears in game two of a doubleheader at Duffy Bass Field Saturday.
Stalowy capped a career-best 5-for-5 performance with a single down the left field line to push Collin Salzenstein across for the game-winning run in the opener. The Redbirds (15-10, 5-4 MVC) scored two runs in the eighth inning of game two to cut Missouri State's lead to one, but the Bears (18-13, 6-1 MVC) answered with two runs of their own in the ninth and a rally in the bottom half of the inning never materialized.
In the opening game, the Redbirds used Stalowy's performance as part of a 14-hit onslaught to hand the Bears their first Missouri Valley Conference loss of the season. Salzenstein, Tyler McNeely, Anthony Ruffolo and Ryan Court all finished with two hits each, with McNeely and Court hitting solo home runs in the contest.
The Redbirds built a 4-0 lead after three innings but Missouri State tied the game up with a run in the fourth and three in the fifth, and took a 7-5 lead with three more runs in the seventh. McNeely homered to right in the seventh off Missouri State starter Tim Clubb to cut the lead to one and Court's home run to left in the eighth tied the game going into the last inning.
Kyle Nelson struck out three in two scoreless innings of relief and earned his second win of the season after Stalowy's single in the ninth. Illinois State improved to 4-0 on Friday's in Valley play thanks also to a workman-like effort from freshman starter Ryan Camp. Camp struck out six and was tagged with five earned runs on seven hits in seven innings.
In the second game, Illinois State starter Ryan Copeland and Missouri State starter Buddy Baumann combined to strike out 21 batters. Baumann emerged as the victor as he limited the Redbirds to five hits over seven innings and struck out 11. Copeland shrugged off a three-run second inning to retire 12 consecutive batters over three shutout innings but the Redbirds were equally as ineffective against Baumann and trailed 3-1 after five.
Missouri State pushed its advantage to 6-3 after the top of the eighth before the Redbirds used a two-run rally off reliever Brant Combs to make it 6-5. The Bears added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the ninth and Jon Barnes closed the door for his third save of the season.
Missouri State's Kevin Medrano was 4-for-5 with three RBI in the first game and Dallas Hord went 3-for-5 in game two.
The series will be decided Sunday at 1 p.m. when the Redbirds and Bears match-up in the series finale. Corey Maines (5-2, 3.14 ERA) is expected to start for the Redbirds against Missouri State's Aaron Meade (5-2, 3.02 ERA).
