The Valparaiso University baseball team fell to Illinois State 7-0 on Friday in the opener of a three-game series at Duffy Bass Field in Normal, Ill. Illinois State starter Jared Hart threw six shutout innings of one-hit ball, while the Redbirds jumped ahead early and never looked back.

How It Happened

• The Redbirds leaped out to an early lead thanks to three straight extra-base hits including a two-run homer in the bottom of the first, leading to a three-run inning.
• Illinois State got two more in the second, but Kyle Schmack (Wanatah, Ind. / South Central) cut down a potential additional run at the plate on a 7-6-2 outfield assist.
• The Beacons turned a double play to end the third, then Colin Fields (Libertyville, Ill. / Libertyville) fired a 1-2-3 fourth.
• The hosts put up another crooked number in the fifth, a two-run frame that started with a solo homer. That lifted the lead to 7-0.
• Valpo notched its first hit of the day in the top of the sixth on a double by Alex Ryan (Lake Mills, Wis. / Lakeside Lutheran). In the seventh, Adam Brauch (Waukee, Iowa / Dowling Catholic) notched a two-out double, but in both cases the runners were left stranded.
• Ryan Mintz (Lombard, Ill. / Willowbrook) came in from the Valpo bullpen and flipped a scoreless sixth with help from a 3-6-3 double play. Mintz struck out three in the seventh as Illinois State’s two-out triple went to waste with the Valpo righty putting up his second straight goose egg. Mintz again sent down the side in order in the bottom of the eighth.

Inside the Game

• Brauch’s double was his fourth of the season, while Ryan’s was his fifth.
• Ryan notched his fourth multi-hit output of the year, accounting for two of the team’s three hits.
• Mintz’s work out of the bullpen was a bright spot as he logged three shutout innings of two-hit ball while walking none and striking out three.
• Fields took his first loss of the season and had fewer than seven strikeouts in a game for the first time this season.

Up Next

Valpo (11-18, 0-4 MVC) and Illinois State will continue the series on Saturday at 3 p.m. The game will air on ESPN3 with links to live video and stats available on ValpoAthletics.com.