May 3, 2000

Box Score

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The University of Illinois (32-18) baseball team completed a season sweep of Southern Illinois University (21-25) with a rain shortened, 7-0 win at Illinois Field this evening. Illinois starting pitcher Jason Anderson threw five complete innings before the game was called in the sixth to earn the complete game shutout and his 10th win of the year.

Anderson, 25-4 in his three-year career at Illinois, becomes only the ninth pitcher in school history to notch ten wins in one season. His 25th win puts him into a tie for second place on Illinois' career wins list, and he improves to 12-0 when pitching at Illinois Field.

"Jason is such an outstanding pitcher," Illinois Head Coach Itch Jones said. "For two years he has gone out there against everyone's number one all season and in the tournaments. He's had a great career here."

Illinois left little doubt that Anderson would reach the ten-win plateau against SIU, jumping on the Salukis for six runs in the first two innings. In the first, both lead-off man Chris Basak and Creston Whitaker, who followed him in the line-up, reached base on singles and after a double steal saw them advance to second and third, both came home on RBI groundouts from Craig Marquie and D.J. Svihlik.

Illinois added four more in the second as freshman Andy Schutzenhofer tagged his fifth home run, a two run shot, over the left field wall. With his two RBI and two hits, Schutzenhofer moves into within one RBI and three hits of UI's freshman RBI and hits records. After Schutzenhofer's home run, Basak walked, stole second and came home when Whitaker singled to right. Whitaker then followed suit, stealing second and coming home on a Svihlik double. Illinois added its final insurance run in the fifth when Svihlik singled and eventually came home on a Brady Ballard ground out.

Saluki starter Brendon Fort (3-5) took the loss for SIU after allowing six runs on six hits in 1 1/3 innings of work.

Illinois returns to action Thursday evening at Illinois Field against MacMurray College. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Illinois has also added a home date on Monday, May 8 against St. Joseph's. First pitch for that game is also slated for 6:35 p.m.