May 22, 2004

Box Score

Iowa City, Iowa - The University of Illinois baseball team dropped game three of its four game series at Iowa, 9-8, to Iowa Saturday evening at Duane Banks Field in Iowa City. The loss drops Illinois to 22-32 overall and 11-20 in the Big Ten while Iowa improves to 19-35 overall and 11-20 in conference play.

With a chance to win its first Big Ten series of the season, Illinois wasted little time grabbing a lead in the nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader, when Ryan Rogowski scored from third on a ground ball off the bat of Chris Robinson with one out in the top of the first inning.

Illinois made it 2-0 in the top half of the second. Dusty Bensko led off with a single, made his way to third via a single and sacrifice, then scored on a one-out sacrifice fly off the bat of Trevor Huisinga.

Iowa began to answer in the bottom of the third, using a one-out RBI single to score A.J. Mims and cut the lead to 3-1.

Illinois added another in the top of the third - on an RBI single from Drew Davidson - to move the lead to 3-0. In the fourth, Illinois added to its lead again after a walk, catcher interference and fielding error loaded the bases for Chad Frk, who delivered a run-scoring single to right field, and Chris Robinson followed with his single to right, this one bringing in two runs, to open a 6-1 lead.

As it had all weekend, Iowa rallied again late, this time coming all the way back and more in the bottom of the fifth, capitalizing on six hits and a pair of Illini errors to plate six in the frame and take an 8-6 lead.

But Illinois came right back in the top half of the sixth, capitalizing on three-straight singles to open the inning and a two-base Iowa throwing error to tie the game at eight before an out was recorded.

With Aaron Saving on the mound in relief of Tim Gorski, Iowa regained the lead in the bottom half of the sixth. A leadoff walk to Adam White proved costly as he came across to score on a one-out ground ball off the bat of Nate Yoho that was just slow enough to prevent an inning-ending double play.

Saving suffered the loss, falling to 0-1 on the year, after allowing one run in one inning of work. Gorksi got the no decision in his final collegiate appearance, allowing eight runs (six earned) in six innings of work. Iowa reliever Tim Gudex got the win to move to 3-2 on the year after allowing only one unearned run in two innings of work.

Illinois and Iowa conclude their four-game Big Ten series Sunday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.