May 10, 2008

Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Illinois finished off a 9-4 victory in the completion of Friday's suspended game, but Ohio State rebounded to take both ends of a doubleheader by scores of 9-2 and 14-8. Third baseman John Schlichter led the Illini offense, going 3-for-6 with a solo home run and right fielder Craig Lutes went 2-for-3 with two runs in game two.

"It's disappointing because we simply didn't pitch well today," Illinois coach Dan Hartleb said. "We were behind a lot of hitters and didn't make quality pitches to battle back. Now we have to rebound tomorrow to get a split."

In game one, Illinois took an early lead when second baseman Joe Bonadonna walked and stole second. Shortstop Brandon Wikoff singled to left and Bonadonna was waved around third. He collided with Buckeye catcher Dan Burkhart as the ball arrived, but Burkhart couldn't hold on and Bonadonna scored for a 1-0 lead.

But Ohio State took advantage of three consecutive walks to start the bottom half of the first when first baseman Justin Miller knocked in a pair of runs on a double to the wall in left-center. A third run came across on a ground ball as Wikoff threw to third base, appearing to cut down the runner, but he was ruled safe. Illini head coach Dan Hartleb came out to discuss the call and was ejected as OSU took a 3-1 lead.

Illinois looked to close the gap in the sixth when Wikoff singled to center with one out and catcher Aaron Johnson's base hit put runners on first and second. After reliever Eric Best took over for OSU starter Dan DeLucia, DH Daniel Webb laced a double to the left-center that drove in Wikoff. Johnson wheeled around third and came home on a bang-bang play on which Burkhart appeared to fumble the ball at the plate as Johnson slid in. But he was called out, argued and was ejected with the Illini trailing 3-2.

The Buckeyes exploded with a six-run bottom half of the inning, though, with all the action coming after two were out. OSU combined five singles with three walks and a hit batter to extend its lead to 9-2. Despite a pinch-hit one-out single by Dominic Altobelli, the Illini couldn't mount a rally in the top of the seventh as OSU took the 9-2 win.

In the nightcap, Illinois took a one-run lead in the third when Lutes singled to right-center and moved up a base on a wild pitch. After a groundout moved him to third, center fielder Kyle Hudson singled up the middle to drive him home for a 1-0 lead.

OSU struck for three runs in the bottom half on five consecutive hits, but Haig worked out of the jam with a ground-ball double play and a flyout as the Buckeyes took a 3-1 lead.

Illinois exploded for a seven-run fifth inning as Schlichter led off with a line-drive home run to left, which was followed by consecutive singles from Lutes and McMurray. Hudson loaded the bases when he beat out a bunt single and Bonadonna cleared them with a double to left-center. Wikoff and Johnson followed with back-to-back walks and, after a pitching change, Webb drew an RBI walk. Hastings then drove in a run with a groundout to second to give the Illini an 8-3 lead.

But the Buckeyes responded with a 10-run inning of their own on seven hits, three walks and an error to retake the lead, 13-8. Illinois was unable to respond as they fell by that final score.

Wikoff was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run in game one, and Hudson went 3-for-4 with an RBI, a run and a stolen base. Lutes and Schlichter each collected two hits in the second game and Bonadonna drove in three in the nightcap.

Up Next: Illinois and Ohio State finish their series with a single game on Sunday beginning at 12:05 p.m. (CT) as the Illini look to salvage a series split.