March 4, 2000
Louisville, Ky. - The Hilltopper Baseball team fell to Illinois State Saturday, 9-6, ending the WKU winning streak at four games. Brian Distaso (1-0) picked up the win for the Redbirds. Junior RHP Brian Miller (2-1) took the loss for the Hilltoppers after giving up five runs on eight hits.
ISU started early when Seth Von Baron scored on Ed Tolzein's fielder's choice in the first. The Hilltoppers came back in the bottom of the first, scoring one on senior C Curtis Bliss' double down the leftfield line.
The Redbirds then went onto score five runs in the next three innings, before the Hilltoppers answered in the bottomof the fourth inning. With runners on second and third, junior SS Luis Rodriguez hit a two-run single to bring the Hilltoppers within three runs.
ISU scored one more run in the top of the fifth, and then WKU scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth to pull within one run at 7-6. Bliss walked with one out, and senior DH Kevin Clutter walked to follow Bliss. Bliss then advanced to third on an error by Redbird SS Jim Chiapetta on a pickoff attempt. Clutter moved to second on the play. Junior CF Matt Fox then doubled to centerfield to score Bliss and Clutter. Fox scored the final run of the inning in the part of a double steal with senior LF Lorenzo Ferguson.
But the Hilltoppers would not come any closer. The Redbirds would go on to score two more runs to end the game 9-6.
Junior 2B Brian Houdek led the Hilltoppers in hitting, going 3-for-5, and freshman RHP Matt Wilhite gave good relief out of the bullpen. Wilhite pitched 5.2 innings, giving up four runs on eight hits.
For ISU, DH Ryan Duncheon broke the Redbird career homerun record during the game, hitting two against the Hilltoppers. Duncheon now has 49 for his career.
