April 12, 2003

Box Score

Ann Arbor, Mich. - The University of Illinois baseball team won game one of Saturday's doubleheader 8-7 over Michigan on a Chad Frk RBI single in the top of the seventh inning on a sunny afternoon at Ray Fisher Stadium in Ann Arbor. The single scored Drew Davidson all the way from first base to improve Illinois' record to 17-10 overall and 5-5 in the Big Ten while Michigan fell to 13-14 overall and 3-5 in Conference play.

"We got a lot of timely hitting today," Illini head coach Itch Jones said. "We had base hits that drove guys home, and Drew Davidson scoring from first on Frk's single in the seventh inning was a great baserunning play that won a ballgame for us."

Illinois got on the scoreboard right away in the first in Saturday's first game. After Joe Parenti reached on a bunt single and Andy Schutzenhofer followed with a walk issued by UM starter Michael Penn, Drew Davidson hit a smash to third that Brock Koman was unable to handle, and Parenti scored from second on the error to give Illinois a 1-0 lead.

After Michigan answered with a run of its own in the bottom of the first, the Illini put three on the board in the second. Brandon Cashman reached on a one-out single and catcher Chris Robinson followed with a double to left, putting runners on second and third. T.F. Meagher then reached on an error by second baseman Nick Rudden, but was credited with an RBI as Cashman was running from third on contact to score on the play. Eric Eymann then opened up a three-run lead with a double down the left field line that plated both Robinson and Meagher.

Michigan closed the gap to one run in the bottom of the second when Brandon Roberts smashed a two-run home run, his fist of the season, over the left field wall off Illini starter Josh Lane.

But in what was becoming an exchange of offense, Illinois added three more in the top of the third off of Penn. Davidson led off with a single to right, and Bensko walked with one out to put runners on first and second for Brandon Cashman, who sent an RBI single up the middle, plating Davidson. Chris Robinson followed with a single to the right side of the infield that scored Bensko while Cashman used aggressive base running to advance from first to third on the hit. Meagher then collected his second RBI of the day when he hit into a fielders choice that scored Cashman and gave Illinois a 7-3 lead after 2 ?.

Michigan chased Lane and added two more runs in the bottom of the third. Lane hit Brock Koman to lead off the inning, and allowed a one-out run-scoring double to Mike Sokol before being pulled in favor of Reilly Smith, who walked the first batter he faced and allowed a run-scoring single to Nate Wright to bring Michigan within 7-5. Smith was then pulled in favor of lefthander Craig Lechowicz who induced a popout and then struck out Jeremy Goldschmeding to end the inning and the Michigan rally.

After Penn retired the Illini harmlessely in the fourth, fifth and sixth Michigan put together a game-tying rally in the bottom of the sixth. Nick Rudden hit a two-out double and Brock Koman followed with a game-tying home run, his fifth of the season, over the left field wall.

More aggressive base running by Illinois gave it the lead in back in the top of the seventh. Davidson reached on a one-out single, then scored all the way from first when Chad Frk sent a two-out single to center and the Michigan centerfielder chose not to throw to third to hold Davidson. Brandon Cashman then followed Frk with an apparent single of his own, but as Frk went from first to third Cashman rounded the base at first and kept going for a double, but Trevor Huisinga, pinch hitting for Chris Robinson, struck out against UM reliever Craig Murray to end the inning, but not before Illinois reclaimed an 8-7 lead.

Dave Mazurek, who had entered the game in the sixth inning, retired Michigan in order in the seventh to preserve the win for Illinois. Mazurek (3-2) earned the win after throwing 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. UM starter Michael Penn suffered the loss. He allowed eight runs on 11 hits in 6 2/3 innings of work.

Game Notes 1. Drew Davidson went 2-for-4 in Saturday's first game to extend his team season-long hitting streak to 11 games.