April 21, 2010
Box Score
EVANSTON, Ill. - Illinois State loaded the bases in the top of the ninth inning but was unable to repeat the timely hitting that led to three late-inning wins last weekend as the Redbirds fell, 3-1, to Northwestern at Rocky Miller Park Wednesday afternoon. The Redbirds had a runner on base in every inning and stranded 10 in the game.
Three Redbirds (19-16) drew walks with one out in the ninth inning and Illinois State trailing 3-0, but Northwestern (13-22) closer Paul Sneider worked out of the bases loaded jam by getting Ty Wiesemeyer to fly out to center and a induced a Tyler McNeely groundout to second base. Matt Mirabal, who pinch-hit and was walked by Michael Jahns in the ninth, scored on a throwing error by Northwestern centerfielder Hamilton Wise after Wiesemeyer's flyout - the only run of the game for Illinois State.
Northwestern used seven different relievers to hold Illinois State to three hits in the contest, but couldn't hold the Redbirds off the base paths. Illinois State had at least one runner reach base in each inning while drawing six walks and had two players hit by pitches. The Redbirds three hits were all doubles by McNeely, Chad Hinshaw and Zach Amrein, but two came with two outs and all three with nobody on base.
The Wildcats scored two runs on Illinois State starter Ryan Camp (4-4) who allowed eight base runners in the first three innings. Matt Werderitch notched his second-consecutive scoreless relief outing by holding Northwestern without a run in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Jim Sajewich allowed a run in the seventh inning, before Cam Verbeke struck out two in a perfect eighth. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak by the 'Birds.
Zach Morton led the Wildcats at the plate with a 2-for-3 effort. Sneider, who earned his seventh save of the season, was 1-for-3 at the plate with a run scored and a walk. Chad Noble and Trevor Stevens had RBIs for Northwestern.
The Redbirds return to Duffy Bass Field for a doubleheader against St. Xavier Sunday at noon.
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