April 3, 2010
Box Score
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Kevin Tokarski hit a solo home run in game one and teammates Matt Mirabal and Anthony Ruffolo had multiple RBI efforts in game two but the Redbirds couldn't muster enough offense while dropping both games of a doubleheader to Lipscomb, 8-1 and 9-8, at Dugan Field Saturday.
Tokarksi's solo home run to left in the third inning of Saturday's first game was the only run Illinois State (12-13) scored while being limited to six hits against Lipscomb (10-18) starter Davey Hackett (2-3). In the second game, Mirabal drove in three runs and Ruffolo knocked in two, but the Redbirds fell 9-8 in extra innings after a walk-off hit by Zach Messer.
Lipscomb scored in the bottom of the first inning in all three games of the series, including two in the first game Saturday off Redbird starter Ryan Copeland (1-4). The senior lefty settled down and retired the next 12 batters over five scoreless innings, but was chased from the game after giving up three in the bottom of the seventh. Lipscomb scored three more on Redbird reliever Jim Sajewich in the eighth.
In the second game, Lipscomb built a 4-0 lead early on before Mirabal doubled off the base of the wall in left field to drive in Illinois State's first two runs in the top of the third. The Bisons answered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning to push the lead to five runs, but despite trailing for the entirety of the previous two games, Illinois State fought back.
The Redbirds plated four runs in the top of the fourth to pull within one, and evened the tally in the sixth on a single through the right side by Ruffolo. Illinois State reliever Cam Verbeke held Lipscomb scoreless through three innings and was the first Redbird pitcher to throw with a lead after Mirabal walked with the bases loaded to put ISU up 8-7. Verbeke was lifted with runners on the corners in the seventh inning and a sacrifice bunt off Kenny Long tied the game.
Long held Lipscomb scoreless in the eighth and ninth innings and had two outs in the bottom of the tenth before an error allowed Cory Hale to reach. Hale moved to second on a passed ball and was knocked in by Messer to give the Bisons the victory. Long was tagged with the loss, his second of the season, but hasn't allowed an earned run in the last 12 innings.
Illinois State returns home to Duffy Bass Field for a mid-week, non-conference contest with Northern Illinois Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. The game was originally scheduled for 6 p.m. The Redbirds will resume Missouri Valley Conference play with a trip to Creighton next weekend.
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics, tickets, TRC gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
