Feb. 19, 2011
Game 1: Box Score |
| Game 2: Box Score
Post-Game Interview
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -
The Redbirds were swept in Saturday's doubleheader at Belmont, losing to the Bruins, 5-4, and, 6-3, in two seven inning games at Shelby Park in Nashville, Tenn. Illinois State (1-2) was led offensively by Tyler McNeely's doubleheader performance, going 2-for-5 with four RBI on a home run and a double. The homer was the second in as many days for McNeely. Belmont's Dylan Craig paced the Bruins with a 3-for-5 effort, including two runs and two RBI.
"If we're going to be the kind of team we want to be, we shouldn't get swept in a doubleheader," said head coach Mark Kingston. "We need to get better in a lot of areas. The good news is that our bullpen has been tremendous this weekend, and that's going to be a key to our team, long-term."
In the first game, the Redbirds scored first on an RBI single by Matt Mirabal which scored Chad Hinshaw. Belmont responded, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning and two more in the bottom of the third. Illinois State rallied to tie the game in the fourth inning on a two-run homer by McNeely, directly followed by a solo home run by Mark Menaker, his first career long-ball. Belmont scored the game's winning run in the sixth inning as Nate Woods doubled in Derek Hamblin. Jacob Wielebnicki was saddled with the loss despite pitching three innings, allowing just one run in relief of Brad Sorkin. Wielebnicki struck out four batters, which surpassed his 2010 season total of three strikeouts.
In the second game, ISU again jumped out to an early lead, scoring two runs in the first inning. McNeely hit a two-RBI double which drove in Mirabal and Hinshaw. Belmont pulled within one in the second inning, and took the lead in the third, scoring four times. The Bruins added another run in the fourth inning, and the Redbirds answered with one run in the fifth as Zach Amrein scored on an error. However, Illinois State could not cut the deficit further, as the Redbirds finished the seven inning game with 12 men left on base. JD Learnard suffered the loss.
The Redbirds will try to even up the series in Sunday's finale, beginning at 1 p.m.
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