May 8, 2004

Box Score

Evanston, Ill. - The University of Illinois baseball team dropped the nightcap of its Saturday doubleheader, 4-2, after watching Northwestern come back from an early Illini lead for the second time Saturday. The loss drops Illinois to 19-27 overall and 8-15 in the Big Ten while NU moves to 21-22-1 overall and 10-13 in conference play.

Illinois wasted little time trying to erase memories of its game one loss in game two of Saturday's doubleheader. Trevor Huisinga drew a four pitch walk to lead off the game, promptly stole second, went to third on a fly ball and scored when Chris Robinson sent an RBI single sharply down the right field line.

NU got that run back and more right away in the bottom of the first. Starter Tim Gorksi allowed three of the first four runners to reach base, and two of them came home, one via an RBI double and one on a sacrifice fly, as NU grabbed a 2-1 lead.

Illinois made it a brand new ballgame in the top of the fifth. With two outs, Chad Frk drew a walk and Robinson singled, putting runners at first and second for Eric Eymann, who singled up the middle to plate Frk with the second and tying run of the game for Illinois.

NU took the lead right back in the bottom half of the fifth, plating a pair to grab a 4-2 lead. Gorski loaded the bases with one out, than allowed designated hitter Dan Polhman to send an RBI single to left and right fielder Jason Krynski to hit his second sacrifice fly of the game, this one to right.

That would be all NU needed, as Kontos and reliever Andrew Smith shut down Illinois in the sixth and seventh to close out the win. Gorski suffered the loss, falling to 4-2 on the year, after allowing four runs on eight hits in six innings of work. Kontos got the win to improve to 3-3 on the year after allowing two runs on five hits in 5 1/3. Smith earned his first save of the season after throwing 1 2/3 scoreless innings to close out the game.

Offensively, Robinson and Eymann each had a pair of hits for Illinois.

Illinois and Northwestern conclude their four-game Big Ten series with a single game Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.