March 23, 2006

Box Score

BRADENTON, Fla. - Illinois scored five runs in the top of the tenth inning and turned a key double play in the bottom of the frame to down Cornell 6-4 at the IMG Academy. The Illini remain perfect on Spring Trip at 5-0 and improve their season record to 9-6.

Tied 1-1 into the 10th, Illinois finally opened up the game when leftfielder Ryan Hastings lined a one-out triple to the wall in right-center. Shortstop Dominic Altobelli followed by getting just enough of a high chopper to put it over the third baseman's head and drive in Hastings. That was when the inning took a turn for the weird as second baseman Shawn Roof was hit by a pitch, a passed ball allowed both runners to move up a base and centerfielder Kyle Hudson was walked intentionally to load the bases.

Right fielder Ryan Snowden was also hit, driving in a run, and third baseman Mike Rohde drew a walk to score Roof and keep the bases loaded. First baseman Dave Schultz then grounded to third base, where the third baseman stepped on the bag and threw wild to home, allowing Hudson to score and Rohde to move up to third. Designated hitter Chase Kliment finished the rally with an RBI single that scored Rohde and gave Illinois a 6-1 lead.

But the Big Red made it interesting in the bottom of the inning, scoring three runs on four hits off Reeser before Jake Stewart induced a 6-4-3 double play to finish off the 6-4 Illini win.

"It was a good learning experience for this group," Illinois coach Dan Hartleb said. "Offensively and defensively, we didn't play up to our abilities, but our players always felt like they were going to win and eventually they got it done. That's a good sign that this team believes in itself."

Illini starter Jake Toohey had a strong outing, working out of jams in the first and fourth innings and setting the Big Red down in order in the second and third. But Cornell finally broke through with a run in the fifth inning, bunching together two singles, a sacrifice bunt and a groundout. Illinois responded with a run in the sixth when Kyle Hudson walked and moved to second on Ryan Snowden's bunt. No one covered third on the bunt, so Hudson took the base before scoring when the first baseman threw wild toward third, tying the game 1-1.

Neither team mustered any more offense through nine innings as Illini reliever Ben Reeser and Cornell reliever Chris Carls allowed just three baserunners between them in the seventh, eighth and ninth frames.

"Our pitching for the first nine innings was excellent," Hartleb said. "Toohey rebounded off a rough start and had a very quality outing today. Reeser gave us three strong innings that kept us in the game when it was tight, and Stewart came in in a tough spot and got a big double play."

For the game, Toohey located 71 percent of his pitches for strikes, allowing only one run on five hits in six innings. He struck out four and didn't give up a walk, his best outing of the season.

Up Next: Illinois finishes its Spring Trip with another game against Cornell tomorrow at 9 a.m. (CT).