March 10, 2002

Final Stats

Louisville, Ky. - The University of Illinois baseball team improved its record to 3-1 on the season following a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over Kent State, Sunday morning at Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, Ky.

Freshman right-hander Brian Blomquist entered the game in the third inning to get the win for Illinois and improve to 1-0 on the season, while Kent State's Dirk Hayhurst took the lost and fell to 0-2.

The Fighting Illini got the game started off right as Drew Davidson opened with a solo homerun to right field. The blast was his first of the season and his first in an Illinois uniform as the Illini opened the game 1-0.

Kent State battled back in the second with three runs on a pair of doubles and a triple to take a 3-1 lead. Despite giving up three runs, Illinois sophomore Tim Gorski was able to settle down and retire the next two Kent State batters to get the Illini out of the inning.

After Davidson's leadoff blast, the Illini had trouble figuring out Kent State ace Chris White through the first-three innings. White allowed just the one run on one hit through the first three while striking out seven.

But in the top of the fourth, the Illini finally got to White to tie the game at 3-3 thanks to a two-out, two-run rally. Patrick Arlis started the surge with a single and Joe Parenti followed with a walk. After a wild pitch pushed the runners two second and third, third baseman Luke Simmons hit a liner off the first baseman's glove to score both runners and knot the game at 3-3.

Kent State regained the lead in its next at bat after it opened the bottom of the fourth with back-to-back walks and a single to load the bases. The Golden Flashes took the lead on a Matt Sega sacrifice bunt and immediately reloaded the bases after Eric O'Brien was hit by a pitch. With the bases loaded and just one out, the Illini brought in freshman right-hander Brian Blomquist to stop the KSU rally. Blomquist responded by forcing the first batter he faced into a double play and Illinois escaped the inning down by just a run.

The game remained a 4-3 Kent State advantage until the seventh inning when Illinois regained the lead for good on Drew Davidson's second homerun of the game. After Brett Wicker walked and stole second, the freshman from West Des Moines, Iowa, sent his second shot over the right field fence to give the Illini their second lead of the game at 5-4.

Kent State wouldn't go quietly though. In the bottom of the ninth, the Golden Flashes put a runner on third with two outs, but third baseman Luke Simmons made a diving stab on a line drive to secure the win.

Illinois will wrap up its two-team double header this afternoon when they take on the host Louisville Cardinals at 1 p.m.

###GO ILLINI###