May 21, 2005

DH Game One Box Score
DH Game Two Box Score

Champaign, Ill. - Illinois moved within a game of clinching its first Big Ten regular season championship since 1998 with a doubleheader split against Iowa Saturday, winning 3-0 in the first game, but losing the nightcap 2-1 in front of a sellout crowd of 1,524 fans at Illinois Field. Purdue swept a doubleheader from Indiana, keeping Illinois' magic number at one as Minnesota and Iowa were both eliminated from championship contention today.

Even though Illinois (20-11) holds a one game lead over the Boilermakers (17-10) with one game to play, the Illini have not clinched a tie for the crown because Purdue lost four Big Ten games to snow earlier in the season and could still finish with a better winning percentage than the Illini. The Illini need either a win or a Purdue loss on Sunday to clinch the championship.

Saturday's game one starter Jimmy Conroy (Rock Island, Ill./Alleman) was masterful, facing only three batters more than the minimum. He allowed five hits in his seven-inning outing, giving up one walk while striking out two. Only one Iowa runner reached third base as Conroy faced only three Hawkeyes in five different innings. He induced 14 ground-ball outs, and only allowed two fly-outs from Iowa hitters.

"I kept them guessing with my changeup," Conroy said. "The last few weeks it hasn't been very good, but it was good today. We have some great fielders behind me so I feel really confident that they'll eat up whatever gets hit to them."

Illinois scored twice in the second, as Shawn Roof (Paducah, Ky./St. Mary) lined an RBI double down the left-field line driving in Drew Davidson (West Des Moines, Iowa/Dowling) before Mike Rohde (Brookfield, Wis./Central) scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Toy Gardenhire (Little Canada, Minn.), giving the Illini all it would need. Illinois added another run in the fourth, with Roof driving in Trevor Huisinga (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett) with a base hit to center field.

But the Illini bats went silent in the second game, managing only a run in the fourth. Dusty Bensko (Pleasant Plains, Ill./Pleasant Plains) singled to lead off the inning, moved to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on Davidson's flyout. Rohde then drove him in with a sacrifice fly to right-center. Illinois squandered a bases-loaded, two-out opportunity in the second and managed only a walk in the sixth and seventh innings against Iowa closer Tim Gudex.

Illini starter Jake Stewart (Normal, Ill./West) had his best start of the season, allowing only two runs on eight hits in 6 2/3 innings, striking out three while not allowing a walk.

"Stewart did an outstanding job on the mound for us," Illinois coach Itch Jones said. "But the bats didn't come through for us. Our offense has done well all year and they need to step it up tomorrow."

Huisinga went 3-for-5 on the day with a double and a run, and Roof was 2-for-3 in game one with two RBI.

"It's fun to be playing meaningful games this late in the season, but they're not going to be easy" Rohde said. "We'll have to come out and battle our butts off tomorrow. They're not going to give it to us."

The Illini and Hawkeyes finish their series with a 1:05 p.m. first pitch on Sunday, Senior Day for Illinois. Purdue and Indiana also finish their series with a 1:05 p.m. start.