Redbirds split doubleheader at Creighton on Saturday

[April 30, 2012]  OMAHA, Neb. -- After losing the first game of Saturday's doubleheader 6-5 in 15 innings, the Illinois State baseball team bounced back to beat Creighton 7-2 in the nightcap at TD Ameritrade Park. Dylan Craig pitched the first nine-inning complete game for ISU since 2009, as the Redbirds improved to 23-16 and 5-8 in the Missouri Valley Conference, while the Bluejays fell to 16-22 and 3-11.

"Dylan's performance was very impressive," said Illinois State head coach Mark Kingston. "That was exactly what we needed after the heartbreaking loss in the first game. He allowed our offense to get going, and putting up seven runs in that ballpark against that pitching staff is impressive."

Ty Wiesemeyer led ISU's attack in game two with a 3-for-5 performance, including two triples, two RBIs and two runs scored, while Kyle Stanton topped the Redbirds in game one with a 4-for-7 effort, including one RBI. Craig earned the game two victory after pitching the full nine innings, allowing just two earned runs on four hits with four strikeouts and three walks. He became the first Illinois State pitcher to produce a complete-game effort since former Redbird Ryan Copeland threw a complete game in 2009. Jeremy Rhoades suffered the game one loss, after pitching the final 4 2-3 innings, allowing one run on four hits.

In game one, which was postponed until Saturday because of rain on Friday, Creighton jumped ahead 3-0 in the first inning. The Redbirds responded with a fourth-inning single by Stanton to drive in Matt Mirabal, who reached on a triple. ISU then tied the game in the fifth on a two-run home run by Mike Hollenbeck. After the Bluejays regained the lead with one run in the bottom of the inning, ISU grabbed the lead in the eighth, thanks to a two-out, two-run single by pinch hitter David Fallon. However, Illinois State surrendered its advantage in the bottom of the ninth, and after 5 1/2 scoreless extra innings, Creighton's Chance Ross singled home the winning run in the bottom of the 15th.

In game two, Illinois State never trailed, as the Redbirds took an early 2-0 lead on a first-inning RBI triple by Wiesemeyer, followed by a second-inning sacrifice fly by Bryan Huff. Creighton proceeded to tie the game in the fourth, but Illinois State responded in the fifth with an RBI single by Eric Aguilera to give ISU a 3-2 advantage. A seventh-inning Hollenbeck RBI single, an eighth-inning RBI triple by Wiesemeyer and an RBI single by Stanton, followed by a ninth-inning Chad Hinshaw RBI double secured ISU's 7-2 victory.

With the series tied 2-2, the Redbirds were to go for the rubber-game win Sunday, beginning at 1 p.m. at TD Ameritrade Park.

Sunday's finale canceled because of rain

The series finale between the Illinois State baseball team and Creighton was canceled because of rain at TD Ameritrade Park. Each team won one game in the abbreviated series.

Sunday's matchup, which was originally scheduled to begin at 1 p.m., was delayed 20 minutes before it was ultimately canceled. The Redbirds return to the field Tuesday evening for the Horenberger-Bass Classic at Illinois Wesleyan in Bloomington. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.

[Text from news release received from John Twork, Illinois State University]