NORMAL, Ill. – A ninth-inning sacrifice fly off the bat of Derek Parola drove in Joe Aeilts for the game-winning run, as Illinois State drew to a draw in the two-game series with the Butler Bulldogs, winning 2-1 on Sunday afternoon. The win provided revenge for the Redbirds, who fell on a walk-off hit less than 24 hours earlier against Butler.
Owen Miller went 2-for-3 at the plate for Illinois State, while starting pitcher Matt Walker struck out four while scattering five hits and not allowing a run over a career-high seven innings on the mound.
The pitcher's duel went strong through the first seven innings of the game, as both the Redbirds and Bulldogs were only able to advance a single runner each to third base. In the top of the eighth, Butler struck first when the visitors hit back-to-back two-out doubles, putting the Bulldogs ahead 1-0.
Illinois State immediately responded with a run of its own in the bottom half of the inning when John Rave and Miller drew inning-opening walks. A strikeout and fly-out put two outs on the board, before Tyson Hays singled home Rave, knotting the score at one run apiece.
Butler went down in order in the top of the ninth inning, setting up the late-game heroics for the Redbirds. The inning opened with a single from Aeilts, who advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Bryce Grimm, where the throw to first base escaped the covering second baseman, putting runners on the corners with no outs in the frame. On the third pitch he saw in the at-bat, Parola flew to center field, allowing Aeilts to score the winning run.
Michael Sebby picked up the win for the Redbirds, pitching the clean ninth inning while striking out one, and improving to 2-1 on the season.
Illinois State returns to action on Tuesday, May 1, when the team travels to play at Milwaukee, before facing off against Northern Illinois in DeKalb, Illinois, a day later.
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
