BOX SCORE GAME 1Â |Â BOX SCORE GAME 2
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – The Illinois State baseball team opened its 2021 campaign with victories of 6-1 and 9-1 at SIUE on Tuesday at Simmons Baseball Complex.
Second-year freshman Ryan Cermak had the go-ahead two-run home run in the second game, in addition to a pair of doubles in a five-RBI performance for the Redbirds (2-0).
Second-year freshmen pitchers Cameron Mabee, Erik Kubiatowicz, and Jordan Lussier each turned in impressive outings.
Mabee fired four scoreless innings in game one to pick up the win; Kubiatowicz picked up a save, leaving two inherited runners stranded in the fifth inning of game one en route to recording game one's final seven outs, which included a career-high four strikeouts; and Lussier threw five innings, conceding one run, two hits, a walk, and an HBP.
SIUE (0-2) had just two players record hits in game one, but both Connor Kiffer and Raul Elguezabal were 3-for-3. The Cougars were limited to eight hits between the two games.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1: The Redbirds scored in the first three innings, taking a 4-0 lead after three innings. Fifth-year senior Joe Butler recorded one of those RBIs, in addition to making a highlight-reel home run-robbing catch over the center field fence to keep the Cougars off the scoreboard for the time being.
Mabee exited the game after four scoreless innings.
Kubiatowicz entered with 'Birds up 4-1 in the 5th inning, inducing a pop-up to leave two Cougars on-base.
Fourth-year juniors Nick Gile and Jack Butler each recorded RBIs in the 6th inning to extend the ISU lead to 6-1 before Kubiatowicz put SIUE down in order in the 7th and final inning.
Game 2:Â SIUE struck first, scoring in the 2nd inning, but an Aidan Huggins RBI tied the game at 1-1 in the third inning.
After a Gile single, Cermak blasted a two-run home run to center field to put ISU up 3-1.
Fourth-year junior Kyle Soberano drew a pinch-hit bases loaded walk in the 6th inning, pushing the score to 4-1 before Cermak drew a bases loaded walk of his own. A passed ball and then sacrifice fly by third-year sophomore Gunner Peterson added another ISU run, putting the score at 7-1.
Third-year sophomore Jared Hart posted a 1-2-3 6th inning before Cermak recorded a 2-RBI double to put ISU up 9-1.
Fourth-year sophomore Garrett Witcher closed the door in the 7th inning in his ISU debut.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORES
Game 1:
- Seven of the nine in the ISU starting lineup recorded at least one hit.
- Fourth-year sophomore Jake McCaw had two doubles, the second time he has recorded multiple doubles (or extra-base hits) in a single game in his career.
- The game featured just eight assists between the two teams, tied for the second-lowest total in ISU history since 2000.
Game 2:
- Lussier's seven strikeouts are the most by freshman in their first start in ISU history since at least 2000.
- Cermak posted his second career game with three or more extra-base hits. He also recorded a career-high five RBIs. He is the only ISU freshman to have both three extra-base hits and five RBIs in a single game since at least 2000.
- The 'Birds had three players with two runs scored (Cermak, third-year sophomore Hayden Jones, fifth-year junior Jeremy Gaines).
QUOTE FROM THIRD-YEAR HEAD COACH STEVE HOLM
On the games: "It's very hard to sweep a doubleheader. It's even harder when the team deals with the type of adversity that they did this weekend. I couldn't be more proud of our boys' effort the last five days!"
UP NEXT
Illinois State is scheduled for a three-game series at No. 17 Oklahoma State from February 26-28.
For the latest updates on Illinois State Baseball, stay tuned at GoRedbirds.com, follow the Redbirds on Twitter (@RedbirdBaseball) and Instagram (isuredbirdbaseball), and like the team on Facebook (Illinois State Baseball).
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App:Â Â Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
