April 13, 2010
It's Buck Night (Day)!
Wednesday is Dollar Day at Duffy Bass Field, with admission and hot dogs for $1.
Last Time Out
Illinois State won its first series over Creighton in Omaha, Neb., since 1986, and swept the Bluejays for the first time ever while moving into first place in the Missouri Valley Conference standings. Friday night's victory marked the end of a nine-game losing streak to the Bluejays and the end of a four game skid for the Redbirds, their second-longest of the season. Illinois State used perhaps its best overall effort of the season while sweeping the Jays at the CU Sports Complex.
The Opponent: Purdue Boilermakers
• Purdue University is located in West Lafayette, Ind., and has an enrollment of 40,090. The Boilermakers are members of the Big Ten Conference.
• Purdue was 25-26 last season, but enter Wednesday's game with a 16-14 overall record, including a win Tuesday night at home against Ball State. The Boilermakers are 2-4 in Big Ten Conference play.
• The Boilers are coached by Doug Schreiber.
• Purdue holds a slight edge in the all-time series, 14-13, and were defeated by the Redbirds, 5-2, in West Lafayette, Ind. (March 24) earlier this season. In the two meetings last season, both road teams won.
Tokarski Still Cruising
Kevin Tokarski led Illinois State with five runs scored and hit a game-winning home run to help Illinois State clinch its first series win over Creighton in Omaha since 1986, and the first ever sweep over the Bluejays. The redshirt sophomore from Downers Grove, Ill., had two extra-base hits among his four hits last week, including his league-leading 17th double of the season and a solo home run in the top of the sixth to push ISU past Creighton, 7-6, Saturday. Tokarski drew five free passes last week, two intentional. Tokarski stole two bases to move into second all-time at Illinois State with 52. He logged a .529 on-base percentage and is fifth in the nation with a .566 season on-base percentage. Tokarski is tied for sixth in the country with a .451 batting average through 29 games.
What a Relief!
Like a batter hitting a home run in a key situation, Ryan Copeland’s pitching performance changed the momentum of not only Friday’s game but the entire weekend series as the senior from Des Plaines, Ill., helped lead Illinois State to its first ever sweep over Creighton. Copeland earned a win and a save in the weekend series and scattered just two hits over eight innings in three relief appearances last week. Copeland held Creighton scoreless through four innings Friday, after the Bluejays had plated six runs in the first four innings of the game, to help Illinois State snap a nine-game losing streak to the Jays. In Sunday’s series finale, the left-handed pitcher added three more scoreless innings of relief while closing out the sweep and earning his first save of the season. The 3-0 series win marked the first series win over the Jays in Omaha since 1986 and first ever sweep. Copeland struck out seven batters last week and allowed just three men to reach base in eight innings. He has retired the first batter faced and not allowed a run in all five of his relief appearances this season.
There He Goes
Illinois State second baseman Kevin Tokarski stole two bases over the weekend to move past Matt Bolt (51) into second place on the all-time steals list at Illinois State with 52 career stolen bases. Tokarski, a redshirt sophomore from Downers Grove, Ill., set Illinois State’s single season mark with 32 steals as a freshman in 2008 and is 19-of-22 on the base paths this season.
A Long Time
Illinois State reliever Kenny Long’s streak of scoreless innings pitched ended at 16.2 when Creighton’s Joey Bowens tripled in a pair of runners with two outs in the ninth inning of Saturday’s game. Long had dropped his season ERA to 0.98 and saved the first four games of his career during the run. The redshirt-sophomore from Fox River Grove, Ill., is 1-2 with a 1.52 ERA in 15 games – the ninth-best ERA in the country in Monday’s stat rankings. He has 33 strikeouts in 29.2 innings and opponents are hitting just .139 off the left-hander.
Fresh Addition
Illinois State freshman pitcher Brad Sorkin has been one of Illinois State’s best starting pitchers in the past several games. The Buffalo Grove, Ill., native is 3-0 with a 0.48 ERA in his last three starts, with wins over Big Ten opponents Purdue, Illinois, and a win over Creighton in Valley play Saturday. Sorkin has limited opponents to eight hits over 18.2 innings in his last three starts and allowed just one earned run. Opponents are hitting .131 off the right hander who has pitched his way into the Redbirds’ weekend rotation.
