Redbirds sweep Bradley 8-5; win streak reaches 8

[April 29, 2013]  PEORIA -- Illinois State (27-16, 9-3 MVC) scored twice in the first and never trailed, defeating Bradley (14-25, 1-14 MVC) 8-5 Sunday afternoon at Peoria Chiefs Stadium. Illinois State has now won a season-best eight consecutive games and has swept its last two Missouri Valley Conference series.

Brad Sorkin (6-4) earned the victory, allowing two runs on nine hits in 5 2-3 innings. David Suarez worked 2 1-3 innings, allowing a pair of runs and striking out two. Jeremy Rhoades finished things off in a non-save situation in the ninth.

Brett Kay paced the Redbird offense with three hits and three runs scored. Eric Aguilera launched a two-run home run, Mike Hollenbeck had two hits and Chad Hinshaw collected two RBIs as the Redbirds tallied 12 hits.

Illinois State chased Bradley starter Stephen Toma (3-3) from the game in the first inning. Toma hit Kay and walked four others, including Kyle Stanton and Paul DeJong with the bases loaded, giving Illinois State an early 2-0 lead.

The Redbirds added two runs in the fourth, including a sacrifice fly from Zac Johnson, and two more in the sixth on Aguilera’s seventh home run, building a 6-0 lead after 5 1/2 innings.

In the bottom of the fifth, Bradley scored one run and then loaded the bases with two outs. The Redbirds called upon Suarez, who retired Mike Tauchman to end the scoring threat.

ISU scored twice more in the seventh, on Hinshaw’s two-run double that scored Daniel Dwyer and Kay.

Bradley added two runs in the eighth and one more in the ninth, before Rhoades retired Curtiss Bunch to end the game.

Illinois State is now a season-best 11 games over .500 and has won six consecutive MVC games.

The Redbirds return to Duffy Bass Field on Tuesday to open the final homestand of the 2013 season. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. versus Illinois Wesleyan.

[Text from news release received from Illinois State University]