March 30, 2002

Box Score

Bloomington, Ind. - Illinois extended its winning streak to 10 games with a 6-4 win over Indiana in the opening game of a doubleheader this afternoon but dropped the nightcap 9-2 to start the Big Ten season 1-1. Illini ace Andy Dickinson improved to 5-0 with the win in the first game and freshman Drew Davidson added a pair of home runs to pace the Illini effort.

In the first game Illinois got on the board immediately in the first inning with an RBI single from Andy Schutzenhofer. Illinois added a pair of runs in both the second and third innings to stake Dickinson to a 5-0 lead. Davidson hit his first of two home runs in the second, a two-run shot, and Brandon Cashman collected a sac fly and Patrick Arlis scored on a double steal for Illinois' two runs in the third.

Dickinson, who improved to 5-0 while striking out 10 and walking none, gave up two runs in the fourth and single runs in the fifth and seventh to make the game interesting. But Davidson, who leads the team with six home runs, hit his second of the game, a solo shot, in the sixth, to give Illinois a three run lead at the time and enough of a cushion to allow Dickinson to complete the game.

Davidson (2-4, 2 runs, 3 RBI) and Arlis (3-4, one run) paced the Illini offense in game one.

In the nightcap Illinois starter Josh Gold (1-1) battled the whole way despite pitching with a 10-game winning streak on the line. He allowed two runs in the first and third innings and one in the second to stake Indiana a 5-0 lead before he was pulled in favor of Joe Ziemba in the fourth. Gold suffered the loss after allowing five runs on six hits in three-plus innings of work. He walked two and struck out two.

Meanwhile, Indiana starter Zach Otte (4-1) cruised, facing the minimum through three innings before T.F. Meagher broke through with a single with one out in the fourth. Otte would hold Illinois scoreless until the fifth, though, when Luke Simmons singled with one out and scored on a Dusty Bensko double. Bensko then came home when Sean Patrick follwed Bensko's double with one of his own.

Indiana added four more runs, two each off of Illinois relievers Ziemba and James Morris, to snap Illinois' winning streak.

Illinois (11-2/1-1) and Indiana (18-4/1-1) conclude their Big Ten series with a doubleheader scheduled for 1 p.m. eastern time Sunday afternoon. Illinois returns to Illinois Field Tuesday and Wednesday, with a 4:05 p.m. doubleheader scheduled with Western Michigan Tuesday and a 2:05 p.m. single game vs. WMU Wednesday.