April 21, 2007

Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

IOWA CITY, Iowa - Illinois lost a 10-9 heartbreaker on a walk-off homer by Iowa shortstop Jason White in game one and the Hawkeyes never trailed in taking a 10-4 win in the nightcap as the Illini dropped a conference doubleheader for the first time in nearly a year, dropping to 17-16 on the season, 7-6 in the Big Ten. Kyle Hudson was 4-for-5 on the day, including a 3-for-3 effort with an RBI in the second game.

"We had opportunities to win in the first game, but we just weren't very sharp on the mound today," Illinois coach Dan Hartleb said. "Our starters struggled and Jake Toohey gave up two big hits when he tried to close down the first game."

Illinois fought back from a 3-0 deficit in game one with a four-run third inning but gave those runs back in the bottom half of the inning as Iowa took a 7-3 lead through three frames.

The Illini scored four more in the fourth to tie the game, but the Hawkeyes pulled ahead, 8-7, with a run in the bottom half. Illinois kept pushing in the fifth, tying the game when Hudson singled up the middle and stole second with two outs. Leftfielder Ryan Snowden then drove him in with a single to left-center, giving Illinois a 9-8 lead.

Closer Jake Toohey entered the game in the sixth inning but gave up a solo homer to the first batter he faced, Iowa leftfielder Caleb Curry, tying the game, 9-9, and marking Toohey's first blown save of the year. After a hit batter, Toohey worked out of the inning with two groundouts and a strikeout. But after Illinois stranded a runner in the seventh, Iowa shortstop Jason White hit a one-out, walk-off solo homer, his third dinger of the game as the Hawks won, 10-9.

In the nightcap, Iowa jumped all over Illini starter Billy Barrett, scoring two in the first, two in the second and three in the third, when Barrett was relieved after just 2 2/3 innings.

Illinois left runners in scoring position in the second, fourth and sixth, and had at least one runner on base in six of seven innings. The Illini scored three in the fourth when first baseman Mike Rohde doubled to right-center. Shortstop Shawn Roof singled him home and advanced to third on second baseman Ryan Hastings' hit-and-run single. Righfielder Nick Stockwell drove in Roof with a grounder and moved to second when the double-play relay was wide of first base. Hudson then plated Stockwell with a base hit to right, cutting the Iowa margin to 8-3.

Left-handed reliever Jonathan Smiley worked 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, striking out one and giving up two hits. The Illini scored once in the fifth when third baseman Brandon Wikoff reached on a throwing error by the pitcher that put Wikoff on third. Catcher Lars Davis drove him in with a groundout, cutting the deficit to 8-4. But reliever Brian Long gave up two hits and a walk to the only three hitters he faced in the sixth, surrendering three more runs. Aaron Ifft gave up a hit to the first man he faced but worked out of the inning without any further damage.

Illinois couldn't muster a seventh-inning rally, falling 10-4 in the nightcap. It marked the first time since May 15, 2006, at Indiana that the Illini were swept in a Big Ten doubleheader.

"We didn't do a good job of moving runners or hitting with men on base in either game today," Hartleb said. "Overall, we didn't pitch, hit or field very well and it's extremely difficult to win in the Big Ten when you don't do any of those three things well."

Up Next: Illinois and Iowa finish the series Sunday with a 1 p.m. first pitch. Aaron Martin will take the ball for the Illini, while Nick Erdman will start for the Hawkeyes as Illinois looks to avoid its first series loss since that Indiana series in 2006.