April 6, 2004

Box Score

Champaign, Ill. - After playing its first 20 games on the road, the University of Illinois baseball team opened its home season with a heartbreaking 5-4 loss on a beautiful spring evening at Illinois Field. The loss drops Illinois to 7-14 on the season while WMU improves to 12-12 overall.

Western Michigan struck first Tuesday evening, scoring once in the second and twice in the fourth off starter Andy Sigerich for an early 3-0 lead.

Illinois began its comeback in the bottom half of the fourth. Trevor Huisinga drew a lead off walk and eventually came in on a wild pitch to close the gap to 3-1.

Drew Davidson got Illinois closer again in the bottom of the fifth when he smashed a home run, his fourth of the year, over the right field wall.

Chris Robinson gave Illinois its first lead of the day when he smacked a two run home run, his fourth roundtripper in the last five games, over the right field wall, to give Illinois a 4-3 lead.

WMU got the lead back for good in the top half of the seventh off reliever Jimmy Conroy. A lead-off walk, single and double give the Broncos a pair of runs to put them ahead 5-4.

Jimmy Conroy suffered the loss, falling to 4-3 on the year. He threw 3 2/3 innings of relief, allowing two runs on four hits. He walked two and struck out four. WMU reliever Dan O'Brien earned the win, improving to 2-3 on the year, after throwing three innings while allowing three runs on four hits in three innings of work. J.R. Mathes threw a scoreless ninth to pick up the save, his first of the year.

Illinois and Western Michigan conclude their short two-game series Wednesday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 2:05 p.m., a change from the originally published 3:05 start time.