May 1, 2004

Box Score

Champaign, Ill. - The University of Illinois baseball team dropped the first game of its Saturday doubleheader to Penn State, 3-1, on a chilly afternoon at Illinois Field. The loss drops Illinois to 16-23 overall and 7-11 in the Big Ten while Penn State improves to 22-18 overall and 11-7 in the Big Ten.

Penn State took an early lead in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, scoring a pair in the top of the second on a one-out, two-RBI single from center fielder Derrick Barr for a 2-0 lead.

Illinois waited until the bottom of the fifth to get on the board. Eric Eymann and Trevor Frederickson led off with back-to-back singles, and Vince DiMaria sacrificed them to second and third. Eymann scored Illinois' first run of the game when he proceeded to score on a passed ball.

Penn State got it back in the top of the sixth, as a one-out double came around to score to move the lead back to 3-1.

Illini starter Ted Rowe suffered the tough luckloss, falling to 2-6 on the year after allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits while walking one and striking out three. PSU starter Sean Stidfole got the win to improve to 4-3 overall. He threw 6 2/3 innings, allowing one unearned run on six hits. He walked one and struck out nine. First baseman Clint Eury came in to face the final batter to collect his fifth save of the year.

Illinois and Penn State conclude their four-game set Sunday with a single game scheduled for an 11:30 a.m. first pitch.