Feb. 21, 2003

Box Score

Millington, Tenn. -

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Feb. 21, 2003 For more information contact: Michelle Warner (217/244-3707)

Illinois Baseball Opens Season With Wild, 10-7 Win Davidson, Eymann Each Homer As Illinois Prevails Over Previously Unbeated Kansas State

Millington, Tenn. - The University of Illinois baseball team opened its 124th season of varsity competition this morning with a wild, 10-7 win over previously unbeated Kansas State. Illinois endured four innings of no-hit baseball before rallying through five lead changes to secure the win and drop KSU to 3-1 on the year.

Illinois entered the bottom of the eighth inning trailing 7-6 and having already endured four lead changes in three innings. Determined to not go down quietly, the Illini pounded out four runs while batting around in the inning. Freshman shortstop Eric Eymann led off the inning by tying the game at 7-all with a leadoff home run to left. Senior shortstop T.F. Meagher then reached on an error and senior first baseman Andy Schutzenhofer was intentionally walked for the second-straight time before sophomore left fielder Drew Davidson loaded the bases when he was hit in the head by a pitch. Senior center fielder Brandon Cashman then gave Illinois the lead with an RBI single, and Trevor Huisinga and sophomore third baseman Chad Frk used back-to-back RBI singles to give Illinois a three-run cushion, 10-7, heading into the ninth.

Closer Dave Mazurek took it from there, shaking off a rocky eighth inning to retire the Wildcats in order and pick up his first win of the season. Mazurek went 1 2/3 innings and did not allow a run or a hit while striking out one batter.

After a scoreless first inning, Kansas State jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second when first baseman Tim Doty led off the inning with a solo home run over the left field wall. Two batters and a double play later, second baseman Brett Williams sent a two-out double over Cashman's head, and Williams came in to score when third baseman Zack Saunders followed with a RBI single up the middle.

KSU went on to open a 4-0 lead in the top of the fifth as the Cats used a two-run inning to chase Illinois starter Ted Rowe. Reliever Reilly Smith was able to stop any further damage, though, as the junior entered the game with one out and the bases loaded but came away with a strikeout and pop out to end the Wildcat threat.

Despite having runners in scoring position in both the first and third innings via hit batsmen and errors, Illinois was no-hit by Wildcat freshman left-hander Jared Bunn until the bottom of the fifth inning when freshman catcher Chris Robinson collected his first career hit, a double to the centerfield wall, to lead off the inning. Robinson would go on to score Illinois' first run of the season when, after Meagher picked up a walk, Schutzenhofer lined a single up the middle to bring Robinson home and move Meagher to third for Davidson. Davidson promptly tied the game at 4-4 when he sent a towering home run over the centerfield wall.

Kansas State reclaimed the lead in the top of the sixth inning when Zack Saunders led off with a solo home run to right. Solid defensive plays by Illinois' two freshmen in the line-up prevented further damage, as Robinson threw out a would-be base stealer at second for the first out of the inning before Eymann and Robinson teamed up with Davidson to tag a KSU runner out at the plate after Terry Blunt doubled to left with one out.

The bottom of the sixth saw the lead change for the third time in as many half innings as Illinois took a 6-5 lead over KSU. Frk led off with a single up the middle, and after Robinson grounded out, Illinois chased Bunn after he walked Eyamnn. One out later, right fielder Joe Parenti lined a double off reliever Allan Woodward that scored both Frk and Eymann.

After a scoreless seventh, Kansas State retied the game in the top of the eight. After chasing Smith, Dave Mazurek entered the game with two runners on and one out. He was able to induce a ground ball back to the mound but bobbled the throw to second, allowing the tying run to score, unearned. KSU took the lead 7-6 one play later when Illinois was unable to finish off a 5-4-3 double play that would of ended the inning.

Rowe went 4 1/3 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits. He walked three and did not strike out a batter. Smith lasted three innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on two hits. He walked four and struck out three.

KSU starter Jared Bunn went 5 1/3 innings, allowing six runs (all earned) on four hits. He walked two and struck out four. Woodward, who suffered the loss to fall to 0-1 on the year, went two innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits. Eric Rollins, who relieved Woodward with one out in the eighth, threw 2/3 of an inning, allowing two runs on three hits.

Illinois returns to action Saturday at 1 p.m. against Arkansas. Tournament action concludes for the Illini Sunday with a noon meeting against the United States Naval Academy.

Game Notes: 1. Three Illini freshman made their debuts today, with two (catcher Chris Robinson and shortstop Eric Eymann) in the starting line-up. Trevor Huisinga also saw his first career action Friday, pinch hitting for Dusty Bensko in the DH slot in the seventh. 2. Both Illini freshmen in the starting line-up got their first collegiate hits out of the way Friday, and they both went for extra bases. Robinson hit a double off the wall in the fifth, and Eymann hit a game-tying home run in the bottom of the eighth.