By Matt Wing
NORMAL – Wichita State overcame a nine-run deficit on its way to a 15-12 win over the Illinois State baseball team in a slugfest Saturday at Duffy Bass Field.
Wichita State (19-32, 8-9 MVC) used a seven-run seventh inning to climb back into the game. Down to their last strike in the top of the ninth, the Shockers tied it on Chase Rader’s RBI single to left field. Then, again with two strikes, Wichita State’s Luke Ritter hit a three-run home run that proved to be the difference in the game.
Illinois State (16-32, 6-10) scored at least one run in each of the first six innings and every player in the starting lineup recorded at least one hit, but the Redbirds surrendered 12 runs over the final three innings in the loss.
Joe Kelch staked Illinois State to an early lead with a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning. Blake Molitor added another two-run home run in the second inning to double the Redbird lead.
Wichita State got on the scoreboard in the top of the third inning when Greyson Jenista provided a sacrifice fly, but Illinois State got the run back in the bottom half of the inning when Ryan Hutchinson hit the first home run of his collegiate career.
The Redbirds tacked on two more in the fourth on an RBI double from Owen Miller and a sacrifice fly from Kelch. Two more runs were scored in the fifth, as Jared Hendren contributed an RBI double before scoring when Molitor grounded into a double play.
Wichita State scored two runs in the top of the sixth with RBI singles from Zach Reding and Trey Vickers. Illinois State came back with three runs in the bottom half thanks to a balk, a wild pitch and an RBI single from Hendren.
The Shockers started their comeback in the seventh. Rader started the rally with an RBI single. Taylor Sanagorski was then hit by a pitch with the bases loaded before Keenan Eaton singled to center to plate another run. Redbird reliever Jeff Lindgren retired the next two batters, but Wichita State leadoff hitter Travis Young followed with his first-career home run – a grand slam – to cut Illinois State’s lead to just two.
Wichita State added another run in the eighth on an RBI single from Eaton, before scoring four in the ninth. The Shockers tied it on Rader’s two-out single to right field before Ritter’s go-ahead, three-run home run.
Molitor and Daniel Dwyer singled in the bottom of the ninth to bring the potential game-tying run to the plate, but the Redbirds ended the game with a fly out and ground out.
Kelch was Illinois State’s top hitter Saturday with three hits and three RBIs. Sean Beesley, Jean Ramirez, Dwyer, Hendren and Molitor tallied two hits each.
Redbird starter David Meade was in line for the win when he left after six innings, but was saddled with a no-decision. Meade allowed three runs, only one of which was earned. He walked five and struck out five. Relievers Jeffrey Barton, Rhett Rapshus, Mitch Vogrin and Lindgren combined to allow 12 runs on nine hits and three walks over the final three innings. Vogrin took the loss, although all four runs he allowed in the ninth were unearned.
The Redbirds return to action Sunday for the finale of the series. First pitch is at 1 p.m. Links for live video, audio and stats are available at GoRedbirds.com. Fans can also receive live updates by following @RedbirdBaseball on Twitter.
