Late ISU rally comes up short in 4-2 loss to WSU

[April 09, 2012]  NORMAL -- The Illinois State baseball team gave Wichita State a late scare with two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, but the rally fell short as the Redbirds (18-9, 1-3 MVC) fell to the Shockers (18-14, 3-1 MVC) by a score of 4-2 in Missouri Valley Conference play Friday at Duffy Bass Field.

ISU starter Chris Razo (4-2) was saddled with a tough loss, after allowing just one earned run and two total in seven innings while tying a career high with seven strikeouts. WSU starter Josh Smith (4-1) picked up the win for the Shockers, after shutting out the Redbirds and allowing just two hits with five strikeouts in seven innings of work. Foster Vielock worked 2 1-3 innings and gave up the two runs in the ninth inning, before Cale Elam came in to record the final two outs of the game to secure his seventh save of the season.

Six different Redbird players recorded a hit on the day, with Kevin Tokarski recording the lone RBI for ISU. Eight different Shockers collected hits in the win, with Casey Gillaspie leading the way with his two-run home run in the top of the eighth inning.

The Shockers got on the board in the top of the first inning, when Taylor Doggett scored from second base as Casey Gillaspie reached first on a fielding error by Redbird third baseman by Zac Johnson to make the score 1-0. They added to that lead in the top of the fourth inning when Erik Harbutz scored from second base on a single into center field by Dayne Parker to make the score 2-0.

After a strong seven innings from Razo, reliever Ryan Camp came in to start the top of the eighth and was greeted rudely by a leadoff double by Don Lambert. After Johnny Coy popped out for the first out of the inning, Casey Gillaspie broke the game open with a two-run home run to right-center field to extend the lead to 4-0.

The Redbirds were held to just three hits through the first eight innings of play but mounted a rally in the ninth to scare the Shockers. Kyle Stanton reached on an error to start the inning and advanced to third on a single by Eric Aguilera on the next at-bat. Chad Hinshaw then brought Stanton home when he reached on a fielder's choice as Aguilera was forced out at second base.

David Fallon then pinch hit and singled through the right side to extend the inning and advance Hinshaw to third with one out. That forced Vielock out of the game, and the Shockers brought in Elam. Bryan Huff then came in to pinch run for Fallon, and Tokarski followed with a single through the left side to score the second run of the inning and make the score 4-2. Ty Wiesemeyer then loaded the bases with an infield single, but the Shockers got out of the inning on the next play when Matt Mirabal grounded into a 5-4-3 double play to end the game and the Redbird threat.

In the second game of the weekend series, Illinois State will have Dylan Craig (4-1, 5.34 ERA) on the mound Saturday against Wichita State's Mitch Mormann (3-2, 3.47 ERA), with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m.

___

Box score

Play-by-play

[Text from news release received from Illinois State]