CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - The Illinois State baseball team blitzed Austin Peay in the 2023 season opener, scoring the game's first 10 runs en route to a 13-2 victory at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Four scoreless innings from fifth-year senior Derek Salata and multi-hit performances by fourth-year junior Greg Nichols (3-5, RBI, three runs), fourth-year junior Shay Kubo (2-5, two RBIs, run), and second-year sophomore Noah Rabin (2-3, two 2B, three RBI, run) resulted in a dominant season-opening game for Illinois State.
Third-year junior Luke Cheng scored four times while third-year junior Auggie Rasmussen and Nichols each scored three times.
Salata was credited with the win and fourth-year junior Erik Kubiatowicz threw two scoreless frames as the game was called after eight innings.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Nichols singled home a run in the 1st inning before Rabin's RBI double. A wild pitch and a RBI groundout by freshman Daniel Pacella yielded a 4-0 yield for ISU after the opening frame.
Kubo singled home two runs in the 3rd inning before a sacrifice fly by second-year sophomore Nick Strong put the 'Birds up, 7-0.
A solo home run by second-year sophomore JT Sokolove highlighted a three-run 4th inning as ISU led 10-0 through five innings.
APSU got two back in the 6th but an RBI double by Rabin in the 8th capped the season-opening win for the Redbirds
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Illinois State has now won three-straight season openers (2022 at #2 Arkansas, 2021 at SIUE)
- 13 runs scored is the most runs scored by the 'Birds in a season opener since a 27-run outburst at Belmont in 2019
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The first three batters in the ISU lineup (Rasmussen, Cheng, Nichols) combined to score 10 runs while the first five (Rabin, Kubo) combined to score 12 runs.
QUOTES
Fifth-year head coach Steve Holm: "I thought it was great. We were able to get some of the young guys out there and get their feet wet. There's lot of nerves on Opening Day but we were able to stay old on the mound - those veterans carried us. Salata gave us a great start and gave us a chance to relax... The best thing that I thought [Noah Rabin] was when he hung in there on that lefty and hit that ball down the line [in the 8th inning]. Hitting in the middle of the lineup you don't want them to feel like they can go lefty-lefty on him and I think that was a big-time at-bat."
Second-year sophomore Noah Rabin: "[The win] feels good. It was one of the most fun games I've ever played. We've got a great group of guys. Just trying to see the ball and hit it hard and the balls were there."
UP NEXT
Illinois State is scheduled to play at 12:00 p.m. CT on Saturday at Austin Peay before concluding the series on Sunday at 1:00 p.m CT.
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