May 25, 2007

Box Score

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Starting pitcher Scott Shaw sparkled through his first seven innings, giving up one run while facing just four batters more than the minimum, but the two runners he left on base in the eighth when he was relieved proved to be the deciding runs in a 6-2 loss to Penn State in an elimination game at the Big Ten Tournament at Ray Fisher Stadium. Shawn Roof ended his Illini career by going 2-for-3 with a steal, his 40th of the year, while catcher Lars Davis became the first Illini to finish the season hitting .400 by going 1-for-4.

"Scott Shaw pitched very well for us today, we just had trouble getting out of that eighth inning," Illinois coach Dan Hartleb said. "We didn't play well in a lot of areas in that inning."

Penn State scratched across a run in the second to take an early lead after a lead-off base hit, a hit batter and an RBI single by third baseman Mike Deese. But that was all the Lions got in the first seven frames as Shaw worked 1-2-3 innings in the first, third, sixth and seventh, and also faced just three batters in the fifth when Davis threw out a runner stealing. He tied a career high with six strikeouts, fanning the side in the fourth and striking out a pair in the sixth.

Illinois had a base-runner reach third base in each of the first three innings and also had a man on second in the fourth but couldn't push runs across in any of the frames as PSU held on to its 1-0 lead.

The Illini finally sprung for a pair of runs in the sixth thanks to back-to-back singles by third baseman Brandon Wikoff and Davis. On the play, Wikoff went first-to-third and Davis got hung up in a rundown, but PSU first baseman Robbie Wine threw the ball away into left field, allowing Wikoff to score and Davis to reach second. After he moved to third on a groundout, DH Daniel Webb drove in Davis with a line-drive single to right for a 2-1 lead.

But the Nittany Lions blew the game open in the top of the eighth, as Shaw walked the first hitter he faced and the second reached when the runner at second was ruled safe on a fielder's choice. Closer Jake Toohey came on in relief but walked the first hitter he faced to load the bases. After a strikeout, Toohey gave up a three-run double, an RBI single, another single and an RBI double before recording the final two outs, trailing 6-2.

That was all the offense Penn State reliever Matt Ogrodnik needed, tossing 3 2/3 innings of shutout relief and not allowing a base-runner after Ryan Hastings met him with a single when he entered the game.

Shaw finished with seven innings pitched, allowing three runs - two earned - on three hits and a walk, while tying a career high with six strikeouts. He threw 65 of 95 pitches for strikes, a blistering 68 percent.

"This is a tough way to end the season, but we have a lot to build on," Hartleb said. "The older guys on this team have put us in a very favorable position for the coming years, and I really like the young players we have on this team. Our top three starting pitchers have a chance to be very, very good next year."

The Illini finish the season 31-27, giving Hartleb 60 wins in two seasons and marking Illinois' second 30-win season in the last three. It is the farthest the Illini have advanced in the Big Ten Tournament since 2001, when they won their first game in the tourney before losing two straight.