Box Score
NORMAL, Ill. – Seven Western Illinois pitchers combined to limit the Illinois State baseball team to just a single run as the visiting Leathernecks left with a 4-1 nonconference win over the Redbirds Tuesday night at Duffy Bass Field.
Western Illinois (15-23) scored all the runs it needed in the top of the first inning, plating two runs to take an early lead. The Leathernecks added two more in the seventh. Owen Miller provided Illinois State's lone run, via a solo home run that cleared the left-center field fence to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning.
Illinois State (11-28) was limited to just five hits, two of which were collected by Miller. The Redbirds committed two errors in the seventh inning, leading to two Western Illinois runs.
Western Illinois' Chris Tschida produced the game's first run with an RBI single and Johnathan Fleek's sacrifice fly moments later gave the visitors a 2-0 lead after the top of the first inning. The Redbirds cut the lead in half with Miller's home run in the fourth.
The Leathernecks added a pair of unearned tallies in the seventh, taking advantage of a pair of Redbird errors. Dave Dobrinich plated the first run with an RBI single after the first Redbird error. Adam McGinnis then struck out for what would have been the third out in the inning, but a dropped third strike and an errant throw to first allowed Austin Emanuel to score.
Redbird starter Jack Bellinger allowed two runs over the first two innings of work. Jeff Lindgren followed with four scoreless frames. Michael Sebby, Mitch Weis and Mitch Vogrin finished out the game with scoreless innings.
The Redbirds return to action this weekend with a three-game Missouri Valley Conference series at Wichita State, beginning Friday. Links for live video and stats are available at GoRedbirds.com, and fans can follow @RedbirdBaseball on Twitter for live updates and more.
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
