April 30, 2003

Box Score

Champaign, Ill. - The University of Illinois baseball team snapped its six-game losing streak with a 9-1 win over IPFW in the first game of a doubleheader this afternoon at Illinois Field. A grand slam off the bat of Brandon Cashman highlighted the win, which improved Illinois to 21-19 overall while IPFW fell to 16-31-1.

A two-run home run from Dusty Bensko highlighted a three-run first inning in the first game. Eric Eymann led off the game with an infield single and eventually scored on a two-out hit from Chad Frk, who also scored when Bensko followed with his fourth homer of the season, a towering shot over the left field wall off IPFW starter Doug McDonald.

After IPFW plated a single run in the top of the fourth, Illinois put up five in the bottom of the fifth, highlighted by a grand slam off the bat of Brandon Cashman, to put the game away. After loading the bases with one out, Dusty Bensko drew a bases loaded walk, scoring Eric Eymann and sending Cashman to the plate. Cashman answered with a grand slam, the first of his Illini career and his sixth home run of the season.

Illinois added a run in the bottom of the sixth when Vince DiMaria hammered his second home run of the season, this one a solo shot, over the left field wall to give Illinois a 9-1 lead.

Illini starter Jimmy Conroy earned the win to improve to 2-3 on the year. He allowed only one run on four hits in four innings of work. IPFW starter Doug McDonald suffered the loss, falling to 0-1 on the year after allowing five runs on seven hits, also in four innings of work.

Illinois returns to action this weekend with a four-game set against Michigan State at Illinois Field. Friday's game one starts at 6:35 p.m., Saturday's doubleheader will begin at 4:05 p.m. and first pitch for Sunday's series finale is at 1:05 p.m.