Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
Illinois State
Baseball Drops Opener at Illinois State, 13-8
3/17/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 17, 2006
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Illinois State scored 10 runs in its final two at-bats to rally for a 13-8 win over Central Michigan University in the first game of a four-game series on Friday. The win snaps CMU's five-game winning streak.
The first game of Saturday's doubleheader, originally slated to begin at 1 p.m., will now get underway at noon (CST).
A Ben Humphrey two-run homer, his fourth of the season, extended CMU's lead to 7-3 after 6-1/2 innings. The first four hitters reached base for Illinois State in the bottom half, including a leadoff homer by Kevin Dubler, to jump-start a four-run frame that evened the score.
J.T. Jones singled home James Teas to put CMU back in front, 8-7, in the top of the eighth, but the Redbirds plated six runs, including five with two outs, to put the game away.
CMU (7-7 overall) led 3-1 after one inning as Humphrey doubled home Jones and Troy Moratti, then scored on a Kurt Lauscher single. Illinois State (3-11) pulled even by scoring on double-play groundout in the first and knocking a pair of RBI singles in the second.
Humphrey continued his recent tear at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a double and a homer, scoring three runs and driving in four. Jones, Teas and Cody Allen had two hits apiece for CMU.
Dubler and Jesse Griswold both had three hits for Illinois State.
Sorce worked 2-1/3 innings in relief to earn his first collegiate for Illinois State. He held the Chippewas to one run on two hits and set CMU down in order in the ninth.
James Ricchio took the loss. He faced four hitters in the eighth and left with the bases loaded after recording just one out. He falls to 1-2 on the year.
CMU and Illinois State will play twice on Saturday and once on Sunday to close out the four-game series.
