|
April 27, 2004
Baseball
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
EIGSTI HELPS SWING,
PITCH SYCAMORES TO MARATHON 9-8 WIN
TERRE HAUTE, Ind.
- Tuesday's non-conference matchup between visiting Xavier and
Indiana State lasted more than four hours and featured some strategic
managing not seen often in college baseball. In the end, the Sycamores
won in their last at bat for the second time in three games to
down the Musketeers 9-8 in 14 innings at Sycamore Field.
With the win, ISU (16-22) won
its fourth straight game heading into a pivotal Missouri Valley
Conference series with SMS this weekend, while Xavier dropped
to 12-27.
The contest saw both teams
abandon their designated hitters, which meant the game looked
a National League game in the Major Leagues.
For example, freshman Ryan
Bond played both first and third base twice and sophomore
Jake Eigsti pitched collegiately for the first
time ever in his career in addition to playing third on two separate
occasions.
Xavier led 7-6 after six innings
before the game took a different turn. Eigsti took the mound for
the first time in his career in the top of the seventh. Bond moved
over to third from first and freshman Marcus Artner,
who had been the designated hitter, took first base. At this point,
the Sycamores lost the DH spot in the order.
Eigsti, a right-hander, mowed
down the Musketeers in quick fashion, needing just four pitchers
to retire Mark Janszen, James Schlosser and Jay Johnson.
Thanks to senior Barry
Warn, ISU tied the game at 7-7 in the bottom of the seventh
with a sacrifice fly.
After combining for 14 runs
in seven innings, Indiana State and Xavier would go scoreless
for the next five frames.
Eigsti got into a little bit
of trouble in the eighth with a two-base wild pitch that allowed
Brett Smith, who had reached first on a fielder's choice, to move
to third with one out. He got Matt Lucas to line out to Warn,
but ISU head coach Bob Warn turned to sophomore
Adam Lindsay for the final out of the inning.
With the substitution, Eigsti went back to third and Bond returned
to first base. Lindsay entered in Artner's (eighth) spot in the
order and quickly ended the threat by getting Alec Moss to line
out to Bond.
The Sycamores had runners on
first and second with two outs in the bottom of the eighth but
an attempted double-steal was unsuccessful, which ended the possibility
of going ahead.
Senior Matt Zaleski
took the hill in the top of the ninth and got three quick groundouts
for a scoreless inning.
Indiana State had runners on
second and third with two outs in the ninth, but couldn't take
advantage as junior Ryan Witges struck out.
Eigsti returned to the mound
for his second career appearance in the 10th as Bond moved back
to third, freshman Nevin Ashley moved to first
(from catcher) and sophomore Kyle Kolb became
the new catcher.
A natural third baseman from
Eurkea, Ill., Eigsti tossed the five five innings. He allowed
just one hit over the first three frames and retired the side
in order twice.
Offensively, the Sycamores
loaded the bases in the 10th with one out but could not score.
Xavier finally broke the 7-7
tie in the 13th on a double steal. The Musketeers had runners
on first and third with two outs. When Lucas broke for second,
Kolb attempted to throw him out at second, but at the same time
Jordan Wolf, a pinch runner, took off for home and Warn's throw
from second was late and Xavier took a 8-7 lead into the bottom
of the 13th.
Eigsti drew one of his three
walks to lead off the 13th and advanced to second on senior Jereme
Hatler's sacrifice bunt. Warn tied the game up for the
second time with a RBI single up the middle, which moved the contest
to the 14th inning.
Despite allowing a double to
Janszen in the 14th, Eigsti struck out a pair and kept the Musketeers
scoreless once again.
Junior Rance Fosdick
struck out to begin the final frame, but Bond and senior Josh
Prickett collected back-to-back singles and Eigsti walked once
more to load the bases with just one out. ISU finally took advantage
and scored the winning run on Hatler's grounder to first, which
Lucas was unable to do anything with and the Sycamores came away
after four hours and 31 minutes with a 9-8 win.
Between his two stints on the
mound, Eigsti tossed 6 2/3 innings and allowed just one run on
four hits, while striking out four. For his performance, Eigsti
(1-0) was credited with his first win.
As a hitter, he went 2-for-4
with two RBI and three runs scored. Eigsti's two RBI came on a
two-run triple in the third.
Four other Sycamores (Miller
Prickett, Bond and Warn) also had two hits, while Hatler and Warn
each collected two RBI.
Mike Creevy (2-1) received
the loss after giving up two runs on four hits in 3 1/3 innings.
ISU will host SMS in a crucial
four-game set beginning on Friday at 7 p.m. at Sycamore Field.
Box
Score
|
