Oct. 21, 2010
Game 1 Box Score 
Listen to a Recap of Game 1 with Mark Kingston
NORMAL, Ill. -
Illinois State junior Kevin Tokarski belted two triples, scored two runs and drove in a run to help the Red team to a 5-1 win over the Black team in the Redbirds' first game of the annual intrasquad Fall World Series Thursday night.
"When the lights go on and the lines go on the field, Kevin's ready to go," ISU head coach Mark Kingston said. "That's why he was the 2010 Missouri Valley Conference player of the year. He can flat out play."
The Downers Grove, Ill. native, who played center field instead of his typical position at second base, led off the bottom of the first inning with a triple to right field, and sophomore shortstop Brett Kay drove him in with a single to left to give the Red team the early lead.
Redbird junior Bryan Huff made it 2-0 in the second inning by scoring on a Kyle Nelson wild pitch, but the Black team answered in the top of the third inning as sophomore Chad Hinshaw led off with a triple to right center field, and scored on a wild pitch by Corey Maines.
After the third inning, Maines and the Red team did not surrender another run, as the starting right-hander threw four innings, striking out five and allowing just one run. Senior right-hander Matt Werderitch and sophomore right-hander Cam Verbeke teamed for three shutout innings to close out the seven inning game.
"That was vintage Corey Maines," Kingston said. "He gave his team a chance to win, just like he did with us in the Valley championship game last year."
The Red team went on to score three more times, including once in the third inning thanks to a sacrifice fly by senior Tyler McNeely which drove in Kay. Then the Red team scored twice in the fourth inning, as freshman Jake Ingold singled and scored on a Tokarski triple, and Tokarksi came home on a wild pitch to make the final 5-1.
"I was fairly pleased with the quality of play," Kingston said. "I thought our pitchers did a good job of throwing strikes and our defense was probably the highlight of the day, it was very good. I also thought we had a lot of good at-bats."
Game two of the Fall World Series is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. Friday. The game is open to the public and admission is free.
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