By: Wichita State
Box Score Wichita, Kan. - A five-run second inning helped the
Illinois State Redbirds (25-12, 5-4) defeat the Wichita State Shockers (25-18, 5-4),
9-4 on Sunday afternoon to salvage a win in the three-game series.
Josh Smith struggled for the Shocks and took the loss on
Sunday. The left-hander went 1.2 innings
and allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits and one walk.
Illinois
State's JD Learnard earned
the win going six innings and he allowed four runs (two earned) on six hits and
three walks.
Leftfielder Tyler McNeely finished 3-for-5 with two home
runs and three RBI for Illinois
State.
The Redbirds used four hits and two costly WSU errors and
sent 10 hitters to the plate in the second on their way to five runs.
Wichita
State got two runs in the
fourth inning to make it 5-2 with a Chris O'Brien RBI groundout and a Preston Springer
RBI single.
Illinois
State tacked on three
more in the seventh on a solo home run by Tyler McNeely, a bases loaded walk
and a Clint Hinshaw RBI single to push their lead to 8-2.
O'Brien would drive in two more with a double in the bottom
half of the inning for Wichita
State to cut the score to
8-4.
McNeely would homer one more time in the ninth and make it
9-4, Illinois State.
O'Brien finished 1-for-5 with three RBI and Spring 2-for-5
with one RBI for Wichita
State.
Next action for the Shockers will be Tuesday night when they
host the Oklahoma State Cowboys. First
pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.