March 3, 2000

Box Score

HOUSTON, Texas - The University of Illinois baseball team rallied for three runs in the top of the ninth and closer Matt Vorwald retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth inning as Illinois defeated No. 3 Houston, 4-3, Friday evening at Cougar Field on the campus of the University of Houston. With the win Illinois improves to 4-0 on the year while Houston falls to 11-5. This was Illinois' first win over a top-10 team since defeating No. 1 Miami, 7-4, in 1995.

"I thought our kids kept their composure tonight. To beat Houston after they swept LSU last weekend shows our players that they can compete against anybody in the country if they work hard," Illinois Head Coach Itch Jones said. "We got great pitching out of Jason Anderson and clutch relief from Vorwald and in the ninth inning we got clutch hits from Jeff Gertz, Andy Schutzenhofer, and the game-winner from D.J. Svihlik."

Illinois fell to an early 2-0 deficit as Houston scored twice in the first inning, one of which was earned. The score remained 2-0 until Illini senior third baseman Craig Marquie sent his first home run of the year over the center field wall in the top of the fourth. But Illinois was unable to capitalize on a number of opportunities as the team left nine on base and watched UH add an insurance run in the sixth.

Illini ace Jason Anderson left the game after the seventh inning, turning the reins over to sophomore lefty Andy Dickinson, who retired one before giving way to Vorwald, who forced Cougar DH Tyson Schweitzer to ground into a double play and end the UH scoring threat.

In the top of the ninth, Brady Ballard struck out to start the inning but then Rob Fischer was hit by a pitch and Jeff Gertz singled him over to second. Batting in the ninth hole, freshman DH Andy Schutzenhofer then singled Fischer home to make the score 3-2. Following a Creston Whitaker walk, Chris Basak came to the plate with the bases loaded and hit into a fielders choice that plated the tying run in Greg Belcher, who was pinch running for Gertz. D.J. Svihlik then singled home Schutzenhofer's pinch runner, Mitch Walk, with what proved to be the winning run.

Vorwald didn?t leave anything to chance in the bottom of the ninth. The sophomore struck out Eric Lee, then got the next two batters to ground out in order to end the game.

Vorwald (2-0) earned the win while UH starter Kyle Crowell, a preseason All-American, suffered the loss, his first of the year. Illini starter Jason Anderson pitched seven innings, gave up two earned runs and three walks and struck out five.

Illinois and Houston meet in game two of the three-game series Saturday at 7 p.m. at Cougar Field.