April 8, 2006

Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Illinois struggled offensively in both games, managing just nine hits in 16 innings as Ohio State swept a doubleheader by scores of 4-1 and 5-1 on a cold, blustery day in front of 1,401 fans at Bill Davis Stadium. Shawn Roof was 3-for-7 on the day with a run, including two of the Illini's three hits in the second game. The teams play another doubleheader Sunday, beginning at 12:05 p.m. (CT), since Friday's game was rained out and made up today.

"We did a lot of the same things that got us in trouble against Western Michigan on Tuesday," Illinois coach Dan Hartleb said. "We hit a lot of fly balls into the wind and didn't make good contact for line drives."

OSU jumped on top in the first game when they strung together three hits, a walk and a throwing error by Illini starter Brian Blomquist to take a 2-0 lead. The Buckeyes added another run in the third when catcher Eric Fryer ripped a home run to left field to put OSU up 3-0.

Illinois managed a run in the fourth when Ryan Hastings led off with a single, moved to second on Joe Bonadonna's groundout and scored on a base hit by Ryan Snowden, cutting the margin to 3-1. But the Buckeyes scored an insurance run in the seventh for a 4-1 win.

Chase Kliment went 2-for-4 as Brian Blomquist fell to 2-3 on the season after taking the loss. OSU starter Dan DeLucia went the distance, scattering six hits and striking out nine while walking three. He threw 135 pitches, locating 91 for strikes.

"Their pitchers threw well, but our hitters didn't make adjustments," Hartleb said. "We should be able to put more pressure on pitchers no matter how well they're throwing."

The second game started auspiciously for Illinois as Buckeye leftfielder J.B. Schuck led off the bottom of the first with a triple and scored on a wild pitch. Illini starter Jake Toohey then pitched out of a jam, leaving runners on second and third. But Illinois never got the bats going against OSU starter Cory Luebke, scratching out just three hits in the seven-inning game.

Luebke had a perfect game into the third when he walked catcher Aaron Ifft to lead off the frame. Roof broke up the no-hitter in the fifth with a base hit to right-center, but never made it past first. The Illini finally put a run on the board in the seventh when Roof laced a two-out single to right and moved to second when Hastings was hit by a pitch. Ifft then knocked a single to right, scoring Roof and cutting the OSU lead to 5-1. But the rally, and the game, ended there as Luebke threw seven innings of three-hit ball, striking out seven and walking one to get the win.

The teams finish the series with a doubleheader Sunday beginning at 12:05 p.m. (CT). The first game will be seven innings and the second game will be a nine-inning contest.