Box Score
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A four-run first inning and a solid starting pitching effort from Matt Walker were the key ingredients in No. 8 seed Illinois State's 7-4 win over No. 5 seed Wichita State Thursday night in a Missouri Valley Conference Tournament game at Hammons Field.
Illinois State (15-38) plated four runs in the first inning and never trailed in Thursday's contest. Walker pitched five strong innings, allowing just one run on four hits and two walks. He matched a career high with six strikeouts.
Illinois State remains as just one of two MVC teams – Dallas Baptist is the other – who remain undefeated in the tournament. The Redbirds will face either Wichita State (28-29) or Missouri State (38-16) Friday night at 7:30 p.m. The Shockers and Bears face off at 12:30 p.m. Friday afternoon. Illinois State beat Missouri State Wednesday night, 1-0.
"Wichita State scored 33 runs on us in three games back in April, but for Matt Walker to go out there and hold those guys to one run through five was unbelievable," Illinois State head coach Bo Durkac said Thursday. Those guys hit the ball as hard as anybody in the league and Matt Walker did an outstanding job tonight."
Illinois State jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the top of the first. Ryan Hutchinson and Owen Miller singled to start things before Derek Parola provided another single to score Hutchinson. Collin Braithwaite later reached on an error that allowed Miller to score. An RBI groundout from John Rave gave the Redbirds their third run and an RBI single from Joe Butler capped the four-run rally to start the game.
An RBI groundout from Jordan Boyer plated the Shockers' first run in the bottom of the second, but the Redbirds got it right back in the top of the third when Butler tripled with two outs and scored two pitches later when Nick Zouras singled past Wichita State's third baseman. The Redbirds added an insurance run in the sixth when a Parola sacrifice fly plated Joe Aeilts.
Wichita State's best chance late came in the eighth inning when the Shockers scored a run on a Willie Schwanke RBI single, and loaded the bases with just one out. But Redbird reliever Trevor Cross got out of the jam with two quick outs, and a towering home run from Braithwaite in the top of the ninth inning restored a five-run lead for the Redbirds.
The Shockers got two more runs in the ninth on a two-run homer from Trey Vickers, but reliever Jeff Lindgren got two of the final three hitters he faced to fly out and end the game.
Hutchinson, Miller, Butler and Zouras tallied two hits each for the Redbirds. Parola drove in a pair of runs and Braithwaite scored twice.
After Walker departed, Cross tossed three strong innings in relief, allowing just one run. Lindgren was charged with the two runs in the ninth produced via Vickers' home run.
Friday's game will be broadcast live as part of The Valley on ESPN3. Links for live video and stats are available at GoRedbirds.com, and fans can follow @RedbirdBaseball on Twitter for live updates and more.
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