Feb. 26, 2011
Game 1: Box Score |
| Game 2: Box Score
Post-Game Interview
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -
Illinois State scored 17 runs Saturday, as the Redbirds lost to Austin Peay, 5-4, and beat Milwaukee, 13-3, at the Austin Peay Classic in Clarksville, Tenn. ISU (3-3) played two, nine-inning games Saturday, after Friday's matchup against Austin Peay (4-0) was postponed because of wet field conditions. The Redbirds will play Milwaukee (1-3) again on Sunday.
Zach Amrein led the ISU offense against Austin Peay, going 2-for-5 with three RBI and one run scored on a home run. Corey Maines pitched 6.1 innings, striking out five, while allowing three runs on five hits. Cam Verbeke suffered the loss, giving up two runs in two innings.
The Redbirds scored the game's first two runs on an RBI single by Amrein which plated Chad Hinshaw in the first inning, followed by a Matt Mirabal sacrifice fly that scored Ty Wiesemeyer in the second. Austin Peay responded with a run in the third and the sixth, but Illinois State answered with a two-run homer by Amrein in the seventh. The Governors scored two more times in the seventh inning, tying the game at 4-to-4. In the bottom of the ninth, Austin Peay's Rolando Gautier led off with a triple, and Haskell Fink drove him in with a sacrifice fly to secure the APSU walk-off victory.
"Our pitching was very good in that game," head coach Mark Kingston said. "Maines threw very well for us, and our defense was very good as well. We just didn't have quite enough offense, but I think it's a game that will make us better."
Against Milwaukee, the Redbirds were led by Kevin Tokarski and Mirabal, who each went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored. Wiesemeyer also was 3-for-3 in the winning effort with three runs scored and one RBI. Tyler McNeely, who came in as a defensive substitution in the seventh inning, highlighted a seven-run seventh inning for the Redbirds, hitting a grand slam that plated Ryan Court, Amrein and Mirabal. Brad Sorkin earned the win, pitching 5.1 innings, striking out five and allowing just three runs.
"Our bullpen and our defense have really started to stabilize, and Sorkin bounced back well after last weekend's outing," Kingston said. "I saw really good things out of our team against Milwaukee, and hopefully that's a sign of things to come."
Illinois State wraps up the Austin Peay Classic on Sunday, with an 11 a.m. first pitch against Milwaukee.
