May 23, 2007

Box Score

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Sophomore Tanner Roark tossed the first complete game of his career at Illinois, giving up just three runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out two as fifth-seeded Illinois whipped No. 4 Iowa, 12-3, in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament behind a tournament-record five double plays. After their first tournament win since 2001 - breaking a six-game skid - the Illini now face No. 2 Minnesota Thursday at 2:35 p.m. (CT) in the Gophers' first tournament game.

"Tanner was in command of everything he did today," Illinois coach Dan Hartleb said. "He pitched down in the strike zone as well as I've seen and he was able to get a lot of ground-ball outs."

The Illini (31-25) grabbed an early lead with a pair of first-inning runs. Third baseman Brandon Wikoff ripped a one-out double off the second baseman's glove, and, one out later, first baseman Mike Rohde was hit by a pitch. After both runners moved up on a wild pitch, third team All-Big Ten DH Daniel Webb ripped a double to right-center that drove in both runners.

In the second, Illinois tacked on two more runs when second baseman Ryan Hastings drew a lead-off walk and, one out later, centerfielder Kyle Hudson tripled to the wall down the right-field line. Leftfielder Ryan Snowden walked and Wikoff singled home Hudson, chasing Iowa starter Steve Turnbull. The Illini added a single run in the third off reliever Mike Jacobs after Webb doubled once again and scored on shortstop Shawn Roof's base hit, making the lead 5-0.

That was more than enough for Roark, who was masterful through the first seven innings. In the second, he gave up a single and a walk back-to-back with two outs, but induced a groundout to end the inning. In the third, the Illini started their barrage of double plays when Roof knocked down a sharp liner with a leaping stab, stepped on the bag and threw to first for the 6-3 twin-killing.

One inning later, Roark allowed consecutive hits to start the inning but got a 4-6-3 double play and made a nice play on the back of the mound for the 1-3 putout to finish the frame. In the fifth, he gave up another lead-off hit but coaxed a flyout and Roof made a nice play on a liner for a 6-3 double play. The next inning, Roark allowed a lead-off single but got a 4-3 double play to eliminate the base-runner, and in the seventh he walked the first batter he faced before inducing a 4-6-3 double play and a flyout to end the frame. In fact, Illinois broke the Big Ten Tournament record for double plays with five twin-killings, besting the record of four set by Iowa against Minnesota in 1983.

"Tanner worked quickly for most of the game, and when you do that and you get a lot of ground balls, you're able to stay out of trouble even when you don't get the first batters in innings," Hartleb said. "Roof and Hastings were very good up the middle for us today, as they have been all year."

The Illini added a run in the seventh when Snowden ripped a lead-off double down the left-field line, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Rohde's base hit through the right side for a 6-0 lead.

Roark finally did get himself into trouble in the eighth, giving up back-to-back singles to star the inning before Wikoff made a dazzling play on a sharp liner through the left side of the infield, darting his glove into the gap to catch the line drive. But Iowa's Travis Sweet tripled to the gap in right-center and later scored on a groundout, cutting the Illinois lead to 6-3.

The Illini finally got to the Iowa bullpen in the ninth when Rohde laced a bases-loaded single through the right side, driving in a pair. Two more scored on Roof's flare single down the right-field line that the rightfielder couldn't handle as it rolled to the fence and Roof motored to third. Rightfielder Nick Stockwell also doubled to the gap in left-center, plating Roof and Hastings for a 12-3 lead.

In all, Roark induced 14 ground-ball outs with a very efficient 115 pitches, 71 for strikes (62 percent). Comparatively, he threw 113 pitches in a seven-inning outing against Iowa on April 20. Hudson led the Illini offense, going 3-for-5 with a triple, two runs and an RBI, while Rohde was 1-for-4 with three RBI and two runs. Wikoff, Webb and Roof each had two hits.

Up Next: Illinois will face No. 2 Minnesota Thursday at 2:35 p.m. (CT) after the Gophers earned a bye in the first round. Mike Stankiewicz will start on the hill for Illinois, while Minnesota will give Tom Buske the ball.