May 1, 2009
Box Score
NORMAL, Ill. - Illinois State pitchers combined to hit six batters, including three during a five-run eighth inning, as Creighton trotted its way past the Redbirds, 8-3, at Duffy Bass Field Friday. Five of the six hit batsmen scored in the contest, the Redbirds' fifth straight loss.
Illinois State (19-17, 9-8 MVC) starter Ryan Camp didn't allow a base hit until the third inning when he plunked consecutive batters and surrendered a two-run double to Vicente Cafaro. The hit gave the Bluejays (26-18, 12-3 MVC) a 2-1 lead, but Camp kept his composure and limited Creighton to three hits through the first seven innings.
The Redbirds plated two runs to go up 3-2 in the fifth by stringing together three hits and a walk with the bases empty and two outs. Mike Stalowy started the rally with an infield single down the third baseline and later scored on a single by Evan Kohli. Matt Mirabal doubled down the left field line and pushed across Ryan Court for the Redbirds other run in the inning.
Camp retired 12 of 13 batters he faced from the fourth inning through the seventh, but lost command in a leadoff walk to Elliot Soto to begin the eighth. Camp plunked Darin Ruf and Vicente Cafaro in the next at-bats to load the bases before being lifted for Kyle Nelson.
Nelson walked the first batter he faced to push across a run, got the innings' first out with an infield fly, then allowed two more runs with another hit batter and walk, before being pulled for Jim Sajewich. Sajewich wrapped a pop-up and a ground out around a two-RBI single by Robbie Knight to end the inning. In all, the Bluejays scored five runs on one hit in the inning.
Creighton added a run in the ninth and used Jack VanLeur to keep the Redbirds at bay. VanLeur, who made his nation-leading 30th appearance of the season, struck out three in 2.1 innings.
Tyler McNeely and Anthony Ruffolo each collected a pair of hits at the top of the lineup for Illinois State. Court added an RBI to his run scored and finished 1-for-3.
Corey Maines (6-2, 3.66 ERA) will start for the Redbirds Saturday and faces off with defending MVC Pitcher of the Week Jonas Dufek (3-5, 3.65 ERA). The Illinois State Athletics Department will officially dedicate the new stadium at Duffy Bass Field at 1:45 p.m., prior to the game's first pitch at 2 p.m.
