By Matt Wing/Illinois State University Athletics Media Relations
NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State baseball team scored a run in the bottom of the first inning but could do no more in what turned into a pitchers’ duel against Eastern Illinois Tuesday at Duffy Bass Field. The visiting Panthers won, 2-1.
Eastern Illinois (5-20) got 7.2 shutout innings of relief from Jake Johansmeier, who entered the game in the bottom of the first inning. The Panthers scored two runs in the fourth off Redbird starter Mitch Weis, and neither team scored the rest of the way as Illinois State’s losing streak reached nine games.
Illinois State (7-17) grabbed an early lead as Owen Miller plated Joe Kelch with an RBI double down the left-field line in the bottom of the first inning. The Panthers took the lead in the fourth, however, on a two-run double from Mitch Gasbarro.
Johansmeier entered the game in the first inning after Eastern Illinois starter Cole Berry allowed Miller’s double and issued a walk to Jean Ramirez. Johansmeier got two groundouts to get out of the inning, and was solid the rest of the way, allowing only four hits and striking out eight. He did not walk a batter.
Weis was tagged with two runs over 3.1 innings of work as two runners crossed home plate after giving way to Mitch Vogrin, who pitched 1.2 scoreless innings. Rhett Rapshus followed with 2.2 scoreless frames, before Jack Landwehr finished out the game with 1.1 shutout innings.
No Redbird recorded multiple hits. Miller and Blake Molitor doubled.
The Redbirds return to Duffy Bass Field for a three-game series against Xavier, beginning Friday at 4:30 p.m. Admission is free to all Illinois State games at Duffy Bass Field, and links for live video, audio and stats for all three games of the series are available at GoRedbirds.com. All three games are on WJBC.com. Fans can also receive live updates by following @RedbirdBaseball on Twitter.
