March 31, 2006

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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Dave Schultz went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs and Trevor Huisinga had a pair of hits and two RBI as Illinois avenged its season-ending loss to Purdue in 2005 with a 9-7 victory in front of 1,012 fans in a blustery home opener at Illinois Field. The Illini increase their winning streak to eight, the longest since a 10-game streak in 2002, and the crowd set a new attendance record for a Big Ten home opener, besting the previous high of 770 on March 24, 2000, against Iowa.

Brian Blomquist picked up his second win of the season, Ben Reeser threw three solid innings of relief and Matt Whitmore shut the door in the ninth for his fifth save in as many chances.

After giving up two runs in the top of the first inning, Illinois scored four runs, nearly doubling its first-inning production on the season. Prior to tonight, the Illini had scored five runs in the first inning all year. Ryan Snowden led off by being hit by a pitch and, one out later, Schultz singled to right field. Chase Kliment walked to load the bases, and after another out, Ryan Hastings drove in a pair with a base hit to left-center. Shawn Roof walked to re-load the bases and Huisinga drove in two more with his single to left-center, giving Illinois a 4-2 lead after an inning.

Blomquist needed only six pitches to retire the Boilers in the second inning and the Illini bats went to work once again. With one out, Mike Rohde recorded a double when the wind blew a pop-up just out of the shortstop's reach in the infield. Schultz drove him in with a single up the middle before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Kliment singled, putting runners at first and third, and Lars Davis drove in Schultz with a groundout, increasing the Illini lead to 6-2.

Purdue scored twice in the third, but Illinois counter-punched with three in the bottom of the frame. With one out, Huisinga singled and Kyle Hudson reached when his bunt died on the third-base line. Snowden then drove them in with a triple over the centerfielder's head and scored on Schultz's single through the right side, putting the Illini lead at 9-4.

The Boilers added two more in the fourth, but Reeser entered in the sixth and allowed only one run on five hits over his three innings of work. While Purdue reliever Andrew Groves also quieted the Illini bats, Illinois was able to hang on to its lead when Whitmore struck out the final Boilermaker hitter with runners on first and second in the top of the ninth.

Blomquist evened his season record at 2-2 despite giving up six earned runs on nine hits. However, the Illini tagged Purdue ace Jay Buente for nine earned runs on nine hits in just 2 1/3 innings, by far Buente's worst outing of the season. He had entered the game 3-0 with a 1.70 ERA but now has an ERA of 3.66 after the Illini dented him.

Illinois and Purdue return to Illinois Field on Saturday for a doubleheader beginning at 3:05 p.m. The two teams finish the series with a 1 p.m. start on Sunday.