By WJBC Staff
CLARKSVILLE – The Illinois State baseball team scored 13-unanswered runs between the first and third innings on its way to a season-opening 17-7 win over Indiana State Friday at the Riverview Inn Governors Challenge at Raymond C. Hand Park.
Indiana State (0-1) scored four runs in the top of the first inning to put Illinois State (1-0) in an early hole, but the Redbirds wasted little time in mounting a comeback, scoring three runs in the first, five in the second and five more in the third.
Illinois State tallied 15 hits and drew nine walks in the win. Six of the team’s hits went for extra bases, including a grand slam from Nick Zouras and a three-run home run from Owen Miller.
The Redbird pitching staff, meanwhile, settled down after a rough first inning, allowing just three runs over the final eight frames.
“I thought we swung the bats well today,” said Illinois State head coach Bo Durkac. “I don’t think we could have gotten off to a worse start in the first inning, falling behind 4-0, but we answered in the bottom of the first, then more in the second and more in the third, and before you know it, we had 13 runs on the board.
“I’m very happy with our performance and looking forward to getting back out there tomorrow.”
Friday’s game started fast with Indiana State scoring four runs in the top of the first, thanks to a leadoff home run from Tyler Friis, and later a three-run shot from Jeff Zahn. The Redbirds got three of those runs back in the bottom of the frame, however, as Bryce Grimm, Ryan Hutchinson and Tyler Paulsen set the table with singles. Grimm scored on a throwing error and Zouras drove in a run with an RBI groundout. Paulsen later scored on a wild pitch.
The Redbirds grabbed control of the game the next inning when Jack Landwehr struck out the side in the top of the inning, just before an RBI double from Hutchinson. Zouras then delivered the biggest hit of the game: Illinois State’s first grand slam in nearly two years, giving the Redbirds an 8-4 lead.
The offensive fireworks continued in the third inning when Miller got in on the fun, smacking a three-run home run to further boost the Illinois State lead. A throwing error later in the inning allowed both Hutchinson and Zouras to score, increasing the lead to 13-4.
Indiana State got one run back in the top of the fourth when Clay Dungan provided a run-scoring single, and then two more in the fifth when CJ Huntley hit a two-run homer.
Relief pitchers from both teams took over from that point as neither scored again until the bottom of the eighth inning. Illinois State tacked on four runs to make it a 10-run game, thanks to RBI doubles from Noah Sadler and Collin Braithwaite. A bases-loaded walk drawn by Grimm and an RBI fielder’s choice from Hutchinson capped the scoring.
The top six hitters in Illinois State’s lineup all collected multiple hits, with Grimm’s 3-for-4 day leading the pack. Grimm reached base five times with three singles and two walks.
Landwehr was saddled with a no decision after allowing five runs over four innings. He walked two and matched a career high with six strikeouts. Colton Johnson earned the win by pitching the fifth and sixth innings, allowing two runs and striking out three. Matt Walker pitched a scoreless seventh inning before Trevor Cross finished out the game with two scoreless frames.
Friday’s game versus Indiana State was not counted as a Missouri Valley contest. The teams will meet again for a three-game league series May 5-7 at Duffy Bass Field.