By ISU Sports Information
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Illinois State baseball team was never able to recover from Purdue’s six-run first inning as the host Boilermakers took a 9-6 win over the Redbirds Tuesday at Alexander Field.
Every run in Tuesday’s game was scored with two outs, including all six of Purdue’s first-inning runs. The Redbirds started chipping away at the Purdue lead in the fourth inning, and trimmed the lead to three after seven innings, but were unable to do any further damage.
“You can’t expect to allow nine or 10 runs in the middle of the week against a Big Ten team and live to tell about it,” said Illinois State head coach Bo Durkac. “You give up six in the first, it’s demoralizing for the guys. I thought we had some good at-bats after that, but you just can’t fall behind like that.”
The Boilermakers took control of the game right from the start, scoring six runs with two outs in the bottom of the first inning. Brandon Krieg plated the game’s first runs with a two-run double. Alec Olund then added an RBI single to score Krieg, who had stolen third base. James Jewell followed with an RBI double to right-center field. Ted Snidanko kept the rally going with another RBI single, and later scored on a double from Hayden Grant.
Illinois State (21-21) scored its first two runs, plating a pair in the fourth inning when Sean Beesley singled up the middle to drive in Ryan Koziol and Jared Hendren.
Purdue (14-31) scored three runs in the bottom half of the inning, however, all three with two outs. Olund drove in the inning’s first run with a single, before pinch hitter Daniel Sander followed with a two-run, two-out single.
Koziol plated the Redbirds’ third run of the game, hitting a 3-2 pitch through the right side of the infield to score Hendren in the fifth inning. Illinois State added three more runs in the seventh, thanks to a run-scoring infield single from Blake Molitor and a two-run single up the middle from Joe Kelch.
The Boilermakers ended all hopes of a Redbird comeback, however, as Purdue reliever Alex Lyons recorded seven-straight outs to finish out the game, earning his first win of the season.
Redbird starter Craig Larkin surrendered six runs (five earned) on seven hits on the first inning. Reliever Matt Lambert allowed three runs over 2.2 innings of work. Mitch Vogrin followed with 1.1 scoreless innings, with two strikeouts. Jack Czeszewski took over from there, pitching a scoreless sixth inning. Jake Sale pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning, with a pair of strikeouts, before Koziol worked a scoreless eighth.
Koziol and Molitor registered two hits apiece in the loss. Kelch and Beesley drove in two runs each and Hendren scored a pair of runs.
The Redbirds return to action Friday when they will play the first game of a four-game set against visiting SIU-Edwardsville. First pitch at Duffy Bass Field is set for 4:30 p.m. Friday.
