May 12, 2009
Box Score
JOLIET, Ill. - For awhile it looked like the storybook game that the Redbirds had dreamed up for Mike Stalowy and Kenny Long. Stalowy went 3-for-5 with two doubles and a home run in the return to his hometown and Long pitched five strong innings in his first collegiate start, but Notre Dame played the villain with 13 runs over the final four frames en route to a 14-8 win at Silver Cross Field Tuesday night.
Stalowy, a senior second baseman who attended nearby Joliet Catholic High School, reached base four times and scored three runs in front of a large contingent of friends and family. Long scattered three runs and four hits while pitching into the sixth inning - also a return of sorts, as Long's last start as a prep player was at Silver Cross Field in the 2007 IHSA baseball playoffs.
Illinois State broke open a 1-1 tie in the third inning with four runs on four hits against Notre Dame reliever Steven Mazur. Fighting Irish starter Joe Spano left after reaching his pitch count in the second inning and Spano gave up a leadoff double to Stalowy and allowed the first three batters he faced to reach. Stalowy scored on a single by Anthony Ruffolo and a ground out from Gabe DeMarco pushed across Ryan Court. Back-to-back doubles by Evan Kohli and Matt Mirabal plated two more runs before Mazur could get out of the inning.
Stalowy notched his second hit of the contest in the fourth inning when he went deep against Notre Dame pitcher David Mills to make it a 6-1 game.
Meanwhile, Long gave up just two hits - one a solo home run to Brayden Ashdown in the second inning - through five innings but ran into trouble in the sixth. AJ Pollock reached on an infield single and the speedy Golden Tate followed with an RBI triple to right field. Quinn Ewert entered the game for the Redbirds and was tagged for three runs after getting just one out. Kyle Nelson got the final two outs of the inning but Notre Dame cut the lead to one at 7-6 with five runs.
From there the Fighting Irish hit their stride offensively and scored three in the seventh, two in the eighth and three more in the ninth to put the game out of reach. Illinois State answered with single runs in the sixth and ninth, but couldn't keep the pace
David Mills earned the win in relief for Notre Dame while Kohli was tagged with the loss in his first appearance as a pitcher this season. Ashdown finished 3-for-4 with four runs scored while Pollock and Cameron McConnell both had two hits for the Irish.
Ruffolo tied Stalowy for the team lead with three hits and added three RBI. Kohli was 2-for-5 at the plate with a pair of doubles. As a team, the Redbirds slugged seven doubles in the game.
Illinois State will travel to Valparaiso Wednesday for a 3 p.m. start, where Ryan Camp (4-3, 4.90 ERA) is expected to pitch against the Crusaders' John Snelten (3-3, 4.31 ERA).
Illinois State closes the regular season portion of its schedule with a three-game series at home against SIU-Edwardsville (May 15-17). Prior to Saturday's 4 p.m. contest, Illinois State Athletics will honor the Redbirds' 1969 College Division National Championship Team and celebrate its 40th anniversary.
