April 19, 2005

Box Score

Champaign, Ill. - Illinois dropped a heartbreaking 4-3 loss to Illinois State Tuesday at Illinois Field in front of 828 fans. Illini pitchers didn't allow an earned run, but four errors - including three in the top of the ninth inning - sunk the Orange and Blue on the last game of its six-game homestand.

"You've got to give ISU credit for what they did," Illinois coach Itch Jones said. "And we didn't play well enough to win."

Leading 2-1 after eight innings, lefthanded pitcher James Morris (Eldorado, Ill.) was in line to record his first save of the season. ISU's Kevin Konsler led off the ninth with a base hit, but Morris retired the next two batters on a flyout and a ground ball. However, Konsler stole second and advanced to third when Illini catcher Chris Robinson's (Dorchester, Ontario) throw bounced into center field. Morris then got ahead of the next hitter 0-2, but threw a wild pitch to allow Konsler to score and tie the game.

The next batter then reached and advanced to second on a throwing error by third baseman Chad Frk (Northfield, Ohio). After an RBI double to take the lead, the Redbirds (17-18) added an infield hit before scoring their third run of the inning on a wild pickoff attempt by Morris to take a 4-2 lead. For the inning, ISU scored three times on three hits and three Illinois errors.

Down but not finished, Illini second baseman Shawn Roof (Paducah, Ky.) singled up the middle lead-off the bottom of the ninth and moved to third on shortstop Toby Gardenhire's (Little Canada, Minn.) first-pitch double down the left-field line. After a strikeout, leftfielder Ryan Rogowski (Livonia, Mich.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Catcher Chris Robinson drove in Roof with an infield single to cut the deficit to 4-3 and set up a crazy ending. First baseman Dusty Bensko (Pleasant Plains, Ill.) lifted a fly ball into left-center field that was caught on a diving play by the centerfielder. Gardenhire tagged to go home, but Rogowski had strayed too far off second base and was doubled off the bag. Gardenhire's run would have counted, but Rogowski was put out while Gardenhire was two steps from home plate, giving ISU the 4-3 win.

"We had a great chance to come back, but we made some mistakes in the bottom of the ninth," Jones said. "And we lost our composure in the top of the inning and didn't make plays. When you make three errors in one inning, you don't deserve to win."

Reliever Jake Stewart (Normal, Ill.) was a bright spot for the Illini, throwing four innings of two-hit shutout ball, striking out four and walking only one in his best outing of the season. Offensively, Robinson was 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Gardenhire and DH Mike Rohde (Brookfield, Wis.) each notched two hits. Roof scored twice while going 1-for-2 and being hit by a pitch twice.

Illinois (20-11-1, 9-3), currently tied for first in the Big Ten, returns to the diamond this weekend when it travels to Bloomington, Ind., to face the Indiana Hoosiers in Big Ten action. Friday's game is at 2:05 p.m., while both Saturday's doubleheader and Sunday's series finale being at 12:05 p.m.