Illinois State comes from behind to beat Navy

[March 17, 2012]  WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- Illinois State overcame a three-run deficit to beat Navy 6-5 Friday afternoon at Chain of Lakes Park. The Redbirds improved to 11-5 and remain unbeaten at the 2012 RussMatt Central Florida Invitational, while the Midshipmen fell to 8-9.

Matt Mirabal led the Redbird comeback with a two-run home run in the sixth inning. The hit cleared the left-center field wall near the 380-foot marker and gave ISU a 6-5 advantage. Bryan Huff and Ty Wiesemeyer each went 2 for 4 with one RBI and one run scored in the winning effort, while Ryan Camp (3-0) earned the win. Camp pitched 3 1-3 innings, allowing just one run on two hits with three strikeouts in relief of starter Chris Razo.

"This was not our prettiest win of the year, but at the end of the day, our job is to try to win the game, and we did that today," said Illinois State head coach Mark Kingston. "We are still in the process of figuring out what adjustments we need to make."

Kyle Stanton doubled to lead off the bottom of the second inning, and Mike Hollenbeck followed with a double to drive home Stanton for the game's first run. However, Navy answered with two runs in the third on a two-RBI single by Alex Azor. The Midshipmen increased their advantage to 4-1 in the fourth inning with an RBI single by Chris Cannon and a fielder's choice by Brandon Beans that drove in another run.

The Redbirds pulled within one in the bottom of the fourth with a Huff RBI single and a Kevin Tokarski groundout that plated Chad Hinshaw. But Navy regained a two-run lead in the fifth inning after Greg Dupell doubled and scored on a groundout by Kash Manzelli. Then in the sixth, Huff singled and stole second, and Wiesemeyer drove him home with a base hit. Mirabal then lifted ISU ahead permanently with a two-run home run, which was the first long ball hit by the Redbirds during their first four games at the expansive Chain of Lakes Park.

Illinois State's bullpen combination of Camp, Justin Hauer and Kenny Long held Navy scoreless through the final four innings. Long pitched a scoreless and hitless ninth to earn his fourth save of the season.

The Redbirds conclude their spring break road trip Saturday with a doubleheader against Army, beginning at 4 p.m. Central time.

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[Text from file received from Illinois State]