April 29, 2006

Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Illinois dropped the first game of its doubleheader with Minnesota, 9-5, but fought back behind a three-run home run by Ryan Snowden and strong relief pitching to win the nightcap 5-4. Kyle Hudson was 2-for-4 with three runs and two RBI on the day and Joel Barickman earned his second win of the season with 2 2/3 shutout innings of relief in the second game.

"I was pleased with the way we bounced back in the second game," Illinois coach Dan Hartleb said. "We got five runs off a pitcher who has been very good this season."

In the second game, Chase Kliment led off the second inning with a walk and stole second for his first career stolen base. Two outs later, Ryan Hastings reached on catcher's interference and Joe Bonadonna's bunt single loaded the bases. Kyle Hudson continued his hot hitting in the series, lacing a base hit through the left side of the infield that drove in Kliment and Hastings. Bonadonna and Hudson each moved up a base on a double steal before Snowden blasted a 1-0 pitch from Minnesota starter John Gaub into the left field bleachers for a three-run home run. It was his first homer at Illinois and gave the Illini a 5-0 lead.

The Gophers fought back in the fourth when Illinois starter Tanner Roark gave up a lead-off walk, a single and another walk to load the bases. A catcher's interference called pushed a run across and, one out later, leftfielder Matt Nohelty drove in a pair with a single up the middle. Rightfielder Mike Mee popped up behind shortstop, but Shawn Roof wasn't able to make the tough play. However, Bonadonna fielded it off one bounce and fired to Mike Rohde at third base to get the lead Gopher runner. But Andy Hunter's double drove in a fourth run before Illinois escaped the inning with a 5-4 lead.

Barickman settled down in the fifth inning after entering the game in the fourth, setting the Gophers down in order in the fifth and sixth. Jake Toohey needed only eight pitches to retire Minnesota in the ninth for his third save of the year.

"The bullpen did a very good job in the late innings," Hartleb said. "We need to do a better job of adding to the lead in situations like that, but we did enough to find a way to win."

In the opener, Illinois scored in the first when Snowden singled and stole second. Roof's groundout moved him to third and Dave Schultz drove him in with a base hit. But the Gophers tagged Illini starter Ben Reeser for four runs in the second inning on four hits, a walk and a hit batter.

Illinois cut the lead to 4-3 with Schultz's two-run homer in the third and took the lead in the fifth when Hudson led off with a single and Snowden was hit by a pitch. Roof sacrificed them over and Hudson scored when the pitcher's throw to first on the sacrifice was wild. One out later, Chase Kliment's groundout scored Snowden to put Illinois up 5-4. But Minnesota scored two in the fifth and three more in the sixth as the Illini bullpen struggled to get outs, posting the final margin of 9-5.

Up Next: Illinois looks to win the series when the teams finish the four-game set Sunday at 1:05 p.m. The game will be televised live on Fox Sports North and broadcast live on AM-1400 WDWS and on fightingillini.com as the Illini send Jake Stewart to the mound against Minnesota starter Brian Bull.