April 24, 2001

Box Score

Champaign, Ill. - The University of Illinois Baseball team (20-23) dropped a 7-3 decision to Illinois State this evening at Illinois Field. Illinois fell behind 6-1 after three innings and was unable to stage one of the late inning rallies that have become commonplace for the team this season.

?They hit us hard in the first few innings and we weren?t able to recover,? Illini Head Coach Itch Jones said. ?We had the same opportunities here that we had against Purdue last weekend and we just weren?t able to convert.?

Starter Reilly Smith (3-5) gave up two runs in the first and three in the second before being taken out in favor of Tim Gorski. Smith, who allowed three extra base hits, including two triples, was charged with the loss after giving up five runs (all earned) on seven hits over 1 1/3 innings of work. He walked one and did not strike out a batter.

Gorski threw 5 2/3 innings, allowing only one unearned run on three hits while striking out six before giving way to ace Andy Dickinson in the eighth.

Illinois got on the board for the first time in the first inning, as Brady Ballard led off the game with a single to left, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on an RBI single off the bat of Andy Schutzenhofer.

Illinois added two more in the sixth off ISU starter Kyle Zaleski. T.F. Meagher led off the inning being hit by a pitch, and Andy Schutzenhofer drew a walk, causing the ISU coaches to go to the bullpen. Tim Boyer was summoned to face Luke Simmons, and after loading the bases by walking Simmons was pulled in favor of Brian Horner, who got Rob Fischer to pop to the third baseman with the bases loaded. Patrick Arlis then drew a bases loaded walk to score Meagher, and Schutzenhofer came home on a fielders choice off the bat of second baseman Brian Raymond.

Zaleski got the win, improving to 1-0. He threw five-plus innings, allowing three runs (all earned) on seven hits. He walked one and struck out one.

Illinois returns to action Wednesday, hosting Western Illinois in a game scheduled for 6:35 p.m. at Illinois Field.