April 10, 2001

Box Score

Normal, Ill. - The University of Illinois Baseball team (17-15) defeated instate rival Illinois State 9-5 this evening at Redbird Field on the campus of Illinois State University. The Illini offense scored nine runs on 11 hits and was led by senior Brady Ballard, who went 3-5 with four RBI.

Illinois jumped on Redbird starter Heath Heiberger (0-4) from the start, putting up two runs in the first, one in the second and two in the third to take a 5-2 lead after the third inning. The first inning was highlighted by an Andy Schutzenhofer RBI single, the single run in the second came on a Brady Ballard triple, and the big blow of the third inning was a Vince DiMaria two-run single that scored both Rob Fischer and Patrick Arlis.

Illinois starter Matt Vorwald, who threw 3 2/3 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits, ran into trouble in the fourth inning, allowing two runs and leaving two men on base for reliever Derek Throneburg, who got the final out of the fourth and threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings to pick up the win, his first of the season and first as an Illini.

Throneburg ran into trouble in the ISU sixth, loading the bases on a double, hit batter and single, so with the score 6-4 in favor of the Illini Illinois went to converted pitcher Jeff Gertz, who in only his second collegiate appearance from the mound, got rightfielder Jared Dufault to ground into an inning-ending double play to preserve the Illini lead.

Illinois took Gertz' momentum and added three insurance runs in the seventh inning on a three-run double from Ballard, who finished his day 3-5 and missing only a home run to complete the cycle. He also walked once and collected four RBI.

Gertz threw 2 1/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits, before being pulled in the eighth in favor of ace Andy Dickinson with the tying run on deck. Dickinson would go ahead and throw the final 1 1/3 innings, allowing only one hit, to earn his second save of the season.

Illinois returns to action tomorrow, hosting Indiana State at Illinois Field at 6:35 p.m. before leaving for Iowa for a four-game Big Ten Conference series Friday-Sunday.