May 15, 2004

Box Score

Champaign, Ill. - The University of Illinois baseball team dropped the nightcap of its Saturday doubleheader, 7-2, to Minnesota at Illinois Field. The loss drops Illinois to 19-30 overall and 8-18 in the Big Ten while Minnesota improves to 32-17 overall and 18-8 in the Big Ten.

Minnesota got all the runs it would need in the top of the third, using back-to-back leadoff singles to plate a pair of runs and take a 2-0 lead The Gophers added another in the top of the fourth after a one-out double increased their lead to 3-0.

In the meantime, Minnesota starter Craig Molldrem was rolling, allowing just one hit through five innings while facing only five over the minimum through five.

Illinois threatened against Molldrem in the bottom of the sixth, loading the bases with no one out via a walk and pair of hit batters. After a strikeout, Dusty Bensko collected the first Illini RBI of the day when he sent a sacrifice fly to deep right to plate Chad Frk. Drew Davidson followed, making it a 3-2 game when he followed Bensko with a single up the middle that plated Chris Robinson from third. After Trevor Frederickson was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two out, Minnesota went to the bullpen, calling on lefthander John Gaub to get out of the jam, which he did with no further damage.

Minnesota then blew it open in the seventh, plating four runs on five hits off Rowe and reliever James Morris to open a 7-2 lead.

Rowe suffered the loss, falling to 2-8 on the year after allowing four runs (one earned) in six-plus innings of work on nine hits. Molldrem moved to 6-1 on the year after allowing two runs on two hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked four, struck out two and hit three.

Illinois and Minnesota conclude their four-game series with a Sunday doubleheader scheduled to begin at 12:05 p.m. The seven members of the Class of 2004 will be honored just prior to first pitch.