Box Score April 13, 2008
Box Score
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -
Illinois got multiple-hit games from Brandon Wikoff, Daniel Webb and Casey McMurray, but it wasn't enough as No. 23 Michigan used a four-run fourth inning to finish off the sweep of the Illini with a 7-4 victory. Wikoff was 3-for-5 and Webb went 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run as Illinois had the tying run at the plate when the game ended.
Michigan scored single runs in the first and second innings before pushing across four in the fourth thanks to two hits, two Illini errors and a walk for a 6-0 lead. After the Wolverines tacked on a run in the fifth, Illinois began to chip away at the lead with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. Webb led off with a single and, one out later, right fielder Nick Stockwell singled. McMurray singled to load the bases and Webb scored when center fielder Kyle Hudson walked. Second baseman Joe Bonadonna drove in Stockwell with a sacrifice fly and Wikoff reached on a bunt single to load the bases. But third baseman Dominic Altobelli grounded out to end the inning with the Illini trailing 7-2.
Illinois put another run on the board in the seventh when Hudson drew a one-out walk and stole second. He moved to third on Bonadonna's groundout to third and scored when Wolverine first baseman Nate Recknagel tried to throw back across the diamond to get the late-breaking Hudson at third. No one was at the bag to take the throw and it bounced to the side fence, allowing Hudson to score and cut the deficit to 7-3.
In the eighth, Illinois cut one more run off the deficit when Altobelli led off with a single and moved to third when first baseman Ryan Hastings singled. Webb drove him in with a base hit of his own, but Hastings was thrown out at third on catcher Aaron Johnson's sacrifice bunt attempt and Stockwell grounded into a double play to end the inning with Illinois down 7-4.
The Illini kept plugging away, as Bonadonna and Wikoff put consecutive two-out hits together in the ninth, but Altobelli popped out to the shortstop to end the game. It marks the first time since 2004 that Illinois has been swept in a Big Ten series and the first time since 1991 that the Illini have lost a series to the Wolverines.
McMurray went 2-for-4 and Hudson walked twice, drove in a run, scored a run and stole his 26th base of the season. All three relief pitchers threw well for the Illini as Wes Braun worked 1 1/3 near-perfect innings, allowing just one walk while striking out a Michigan hitter. Mike Sterk gave up only one hit and one walk while striking out one Wolverine in two scoreless innings of relief and Ben Reeser pitched a scoreless ninth, giving up one hit while striking out one.
Up Next: Illinois finishes its marathon stretch of 16 games in 18 days on Tuesday when it travels to Mattoon, Ill., for a contest against Eastern Illinois. The game will start at 6:30 p.m. at Grimes Field at Peterson Park after a pregame meet-and-greet for fans with Mattoon natives Kyle Hudson, Ryan Hastings and EIU's Ross Jeske at 6 p.m.
