April 7, 2002
Box Score
Champaign, Ill. - Illinois pounded out 12 hits, including solo home runs
from Brandon Cashman and Andy Schutzenhofer, to defeat Purdue 10-7 Sunday
and salvage a split of the four-game Big Ten series. Illini reliever Justin
Olson picked up the win after throwing 5 2/3 innings of relief to improve to
2-1 on the year while Illinois improved to 15-6 overall and 3-5 in
conference play. Purdue fell to 12-15 overall and 5-3 in the Big Ten.
Knowing they needed a win to salvage the weekend Illinois came out
aggressively from the first inning. Andy Schutzenhofer, Drew Davidson and
Luke Simmons loaded the bases with two outs in the first inning on a walk,
single and walk, respectively, bringing Patrick Arlis to the plate who
singled home Schutzenhofer and Davidson for a 2-0 lead. Cashman added a solo
home run, his third of the year, in the second to give Illinois a 3-0 lead
that chased PU starter Sean O?Neil from the game.
Purdue came back in the top of the third, scoring three unearned runs off
Illinois starter Reilly Smith. Illinois would reclaim the lead in the bottom
half when Davidson, who was 4-for-4 with three runs scored on the day,
singled to lead off the inning and came home when Arlis hit a sacrifice fly
to center for his third of what would be five RBI on the day. Smith was
replaced in favor of Justin Olson in the fourth when Purdue scored another
run to tie the game at four all.
But Illinois would fight back with a five-run fifth highlighted by a two-run
Arlis double that put Illinois up 9-4. Purdue put up one last rally in the
sixth, scoring three runs to close the gap to 9-7 but Schutzenhofer added a
solo home run, his second of the year, in the bottom of the sixth to give
Illinois its 10-7 cushion.
Olson (2-1) earned the win after allowing nine hits in 5 2/3 innings. He
struck out four and did not walk a batter. Dave Mazurek earned his second
save in as many days after entering the game with two outs in the ninth
inning and inducing Purdue right fielder Daniel Underwood, who was at the
plate representing the tying run, to ground out to Illini shortstop T.F.
Meagher. O?Neil (2-2) suffered the loss after allowing three runs on three
hits in 1 2/3 innings of work.
Illinois returns to action Tuesday evening against Western Illinois. First
pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. at Illinois Field.
