April 5, 2011
Final Stats
Post-Game Interview
DEKALB, Ill. -
Chad Hinshaw extended his hitting streak to eight-consecutive games with a 2-for-2 effort including two runs and a RBI, as the sophomore centerfielder led Illinois State to its fifth-straight win by beating Northern Illinois, 7-4, at Ralph McKinzie Field in DeKalb, Ill., Tuesday evening. Redbird pitcher JD Learnard (3-2) earned the victory, no-hitting the Huskies through four innings.
"I thought we were sharp all the way around," ISU head coach Mark Kingston said. "I was happy with our effort and focus. That was a good team that we beat today, and I was very happy to see us play convincingly well against Northern Illinois as we're getting ready to go into the conference season this Friday."
David Fallon went 2-for-4 with a run scored in his third Redbird start, while Tyler McNeely earned a team-best two RBI. After Learnard completed his predetermined four-inning outing, Joe Claver, Cam Verbeke, Justin Hauer and Matt Werderitch teamed up on the mound to hold off the Huskies. Illinois State (20-7) has now won eight of its last nine games.
The Redbirds jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning with a two RBI single by McNeely that drove in Hinshaw and Kevin Tokarski. Illinois State added two more runs in the second as Brett Kay and Tokarski both scored on wild pitches.
After a scoreless third, the Redbirds plated another run in the fourth as Zach Amrein drove home Hinshaw with an RBI single to left field. ISU pushed across two more runs in the fifth inning as Brock Stewart scored on a Tokarski sacrifice fly, and Hinshaw drove in Fallon with an RBI single to increase Illinois State's lead to 7-0.
Northern Illinois did not get a hit or a run until the sixth inning, when Trey Lang scored on a groundout by Tom Kotis. The Huskies added three more in the ninth with a three-run home run hit by Jeff Zimmerman.
The Redbirds return to Duffy Bass Field this weekend to start Missouri Valley Conference play against Creighton, beginning Friday at 4:30 p.m. ISU and Northern Illinois will play again next Tuesday, April 12 for a 3:00 p.m. first pitch.
