Murray State
3-8
Illinois State
7-3
Redbirds Use Ninth-Inning Rally to Defeat Racers
3/2/2019 11:02:00 PM | Baseball
Illinois State scored six runs in the ninth inning, Saturday afternoon, to defeat the Murray State baseball team, 9-5, and take the series.
The Redbirds (7-3) had the lead for most of the game, but a rally by the Racers (3-8) in the eighth put MSU in the lead late in the game. After Jordan Holly came around to score on an error by the right fielder to tie the game, Brock Anderson, who had a walk-off double yesterday, hit a bases-loaded two-run single to take a temporary 5-3 lead.
However, Illinois State came back in the ninth by loading the bases on three straight singles to start the inning. After a walk to get the Redbirds within one, Peyton Hayes struck out the next two batters, but a single down the first base line just out of the reach of the diving Ryan Perkins at first base put ISU ahead 6-5. The Redbirds added three more insurance runs before the inning ended to produce the final score.
Illinois State opened the scoring in the first with two runs and added another run in the fourth as the Racers were struggling against ISU starting pitcher Matt Walker early.
However, Murray State broke through in the sixth as Sean Darmafall singled to lead off which was followed by a walk to Dylan Letellier. After a sacrifice bunt from Chilton, a passed ball allowed Darmafall to score the first run and sacrifice fly from Holly brought in the second run.
Shane Burns started the game on the mound for the Racers and threw three innings while allowing two runs, neither earned, and struck out two. Jake Jones followed him with 3.1 innings pitched and had two big strikeouts to strand runners in scoring position in the fourth and sixth innings. Justin Thomas was also a bright spot in the pen as he tossed 1.1 hitless innings with two strikeouts.
The Racers return to Reagan Field, Tuesday afternoon, when they face Southern Illinois at 3 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Johnson, Colton (1-0)
L: Hayes, Peyton (0-1)
S: Gilmore, Jacob (3)
Batting:
2B: Parola, Derek 1 ; Huggins, Aidan 1
RBI: Rave, John 1 ; Parola, Derek 2 ; Aeilts, Joe 1 ; Hays, Tyson 1 ; Huggins, Aidan 2
SH: Carpenter, Tyler 1
SF: Aeilts, Joe 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rave, John 2 ; Libman, Jordan 2 ; Aeilts, Joe 1 ; Butler, Joe 1 ; Hays, Tyson 1 ; Huggins, Aidan 2
SB: Rave, John 1 ; Huggins, Aidan 1
HBP: Rave, John 1
Batting:
RBI: Anderson, Brock 2 ; Holly, Jordan 1
SH: Chilton, Bryan 1
SF: Holly, Jordan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Perkins, Ryan 1 ; Duke, Tyler 1 ; Darmafall, Sean 1 ; Letellier, Dylan 1 ; Holly, Jordan 1
SB: Duke, Tyler 1
CS: Perkins, Ryan 1
PO: Slunder, Jake 1
