April 15, 2007

Box Score

EVANSTON, Ill. - Illinois led for eight-and-a-half innings of Sunday's series finale, but Northwestern scored twice in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and pushed the winning run across in the tenth to avoid a sweep with a 6-5 win over the Illini. Catcher Lars Davis continued his incredible season at the plate, going 4-for-5 with a double, a run and a steal, and starting pitcher Billy Barrett went six strong innings and left the game in line for the win.

"We had a chance to close it down, but we had a big error and gave up too many hits in the ninth and tenth innings," Illinois coach Dan Hartleb said. "We need to learn how to finish games."

Illinois (14-14 overall, 6-4 in the Big Ten) jumped on top with a first-inning run when Davis laced a two-out double to left-center and scored on Rohde's single to the gap in left. Rohde was out trying to stretch his hit to a double but the Illini led 1-0.

Centerfielder Kyle Hudson started a three-run third inning with a base hit to center and moved to second when the Northwestern shortstop mishandled leftfielder Ryan Snowden's grounder. Third baseman Brandon Wikoff sacrificed the runners up a base and, one out later, Rohde walked to load the bases. Rightfielder Daniel Webb then dropped a single into center, driving in Hudson and Snowden. Shortstop Shawn Roof followed with a single of his own that drove in Rohde, pushing the lead to 4-0.

Northwestern (9-20, 3-9) fought back with two runs in the bottom of the third and another in the fourth to cut the Illinois margin to 4-3. The Illini got a run back in the fifth, though, as Davis singled with one out and stole second. One out later, Webb laced a double to the gap in right-center, plating Davis for a 5-3 advantage.

Barrett worked a 1-2-3 sixth inning to finish his outing with six innings pitched, giving up four hits, three runs and two walks while striking out one. Jonathan Smiley worked a near-perfect seventh inning in relief, allowing just one base runner on a hit by pitch, and Long pitched a perfect eighth.

After Illinois went down in order in the ninth, Long seemed to continue to cruise in the bottom half, inducing two line-outs to start the inning. But three consecutive base hits cut the lead to one with runners at first and second. Wildcat leftfielder Max Mann then hit what seemed to be a routine grounder to third, but Wikoff mishandled it and the ball rolled into the outfield, tying the game. Long got out of the inning, but the save was blown.

Davis once again singled with one out in the tenth, but was stranded at first after consecutive flyouts ended the inning. Long gave up a hit to the lead-off man in the bottom of the inning but got catcher Geoff Dietz to strike out on a fouled-off bunt attempt with two strikes. Aaron Newman, who led off the ninth with a line-out, singled to left to put runners on first and second, and Long induced a grounder to first that moved the runners up a base with two down. Rightfielder Antonio Mulé then delivered the game-winner with a single to left-center that drove home Tommy Finn from third for the 6-5 Northwestern win.

"We took the lead but didn't continue to tack on runs like we have a number of times this season," Hartleb said. "We definitely let one get away."

The 3-1 series victory was Illinois' first of the season and first since taking three of four at Minnesota in 2006.

Up Next: Illinois takes Monday off before a pair of mid-week games. The Illini travel to Illinois State for a 6 p.m. start on Tuesday, then host Robert Morris on Wednesday at 6:05 p.m.