April 5, 2000

Box Score

Champaign, Ill. - The University of Illinois baseball team split a midweek doubleheader with Western Michigan University this afternoon at Illinois Field. Illinois won game one, 10-9, in extra innings before dropping game two, 12-6. Illinois' record now stands at 20-8 overall and 7-1 in the Big Ten. Western Michigan is 12-12 on the year.

"Western Michigan outhit us in the first game, and they outhit us in the second game, too," Illini Head Coach Itch Jones said. "We were hoping that our starters could have thrown longer for us today, but Western Michigan was able to hit them."

In game one, Illinois won its fourth-consecutive extra inning game. The Illini fell behind 2-0 in the top of the first as the Bronces hit starter Justin Olson for three-consecutive hits to start the game. WMU would add two more in the second before Illinois got on the board with a Creston Whitaker RBI single that plated D.J. Svihlik.

Illinois trailed 7-3 entering the fifth inning, but rallied for three in the bottom of the fifth and one in both the sixth and seventh to tie the game and force extra innings for the fourth time in as many games. Western Michigan tagged Illini reliever Matt Vorwald for one run in the top of the eighth, but Illinois plated two in the bottom of the eighth on a Joe Parenti double to center to win the game. Vorwald (6-1) was credited with the win.

In game two, Illinois got one in the first, but WMU put up a seven spot in the second off Illini starter Joe Sprengard and reliever Andy Dickinson to take a 7-1 lead Illinois would not come back from. Illinois did get home runs from Chris Basak and Rob Fischer, but it wasn't enough as the Illini snapped a six-game winning streak. Sprengard (1-2) suffered the loss and Bronco reliever Josh Clark (2-3) was credited with the win.

Illinois hosts Michigan this weekend in a four-game conference series. Friday's game one is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., Saturday's doubleheader begins at 4:05 p.m. and Sunday's game four is at 1:05 p.m.