April 5, 2003

Box Score

West Lafayette, Ind. - The University of Illinois baseball team split its Saturday doubleheader against Purdue this afternoon, dropping the first game 5-2 before rebounding with a 5-3 win in the nightcap. Illinois is currently 14-7 on the year and 3-3 in the Big Ten while Purdue is currently 12-12 and 2-4 in Conference play.

After dropping the first game by a 5-3 margin, Illinois rebounded in game two for a 5-2 win. Starter Joe Ziemba gave up a run in the first inning to fall behind 1-0, but Drew Davidson tied the game in the top of the second with his second home run of the year.

Illinois proceeded to take a 2-1 lead in the top fo the fourth. Dusty Bensko hit a two-out single, and Eric Eymann followed with an RBI double to drive in Bensko. The lead grew to 3-1 in the fifth when T.F. Meagher drew a one-out walk, went to second on a Joe Parenti single and scored on an Andy Schutzenhofer RBI single.

Ziemba gave up a single run in the bottom of the fifth to close the gap to 3-2, but Reilly Smith held Purdue scoreless in the sixth, and Illinois added two insurance runs on a two-RBI pinch hit single off the bat of Vince DiMaria in the top of the seventh inning. Dave Mazurek, who came in with two outs in the sixth, threw a scoreless to seventh to ensure the Illini win and earn his fourth save of the year and first in Big Ten play.

Ziemba earned the win, improving to 3-0 on the year while allowing two runs on five hits in five innings of work. Smith threw 2/3 of an inning, not allowing a run while allowing one hit, and Mazurek threw 1 1/3 innings of scoreless baseball.

Illinois also fell behind early in the first game on a first inning Nick McIntyre home run. But Illinois tied that game in the top of the second as well, as Dusty Bensko hit a leadoff single, went to second on an Eric Eymann single and scored on a two-out single off the bat of T.F. Meagher.

But Illinois couldn't hold on this time, as Illini starter Ted Rowe allowed only one run in the first five innings but couldn't hold on in the sixth. Rowe led off the ninth by giving up a lead-off home run and gave up two more runs before the inning was over to give Purdue a 5-1 lead heading into the seventh.

Illinois did rally in the seventh, scoring two runs in the inning to bring the score to within one before Purdue reliever Dustin Glant secured the final out to earn his third save of the year. PU starter Mitch Pruemer earned the win, improving to 3-2 on the year after allowing three runs on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings of work. Rowe (2-3) suffered the loss after allowing five runs on seven hits in six innings of work.

Illinois and Purdue will meet in another doubleheader Sunday before returning home for a pair of home games Tuesday and Wednesday at 6:35 p.m.