Feb. 27, 2008

Illinois Notes for Baylor Classic

Games 4-6 // 2008 Quala-T Imprints Baylor Classic

Baylor (4-0) vs. ILLINOIS (2-1)
ILL Probable: Scott Shaw (RHP, 0-0, 6.75 ERA)
BAY Probable: Kendal Volz (RHP, 1-0, 0.00 ERA)
Live Stats: Gametracker on fightingillini.com
Live Audio/Video: Available at www.baylorbears.com
Series: Illinois leads 1-0
Last Meeting: Illinois won 14-5 (5/23/98)
Streak: W1

Stephen F. Austin (3-2) vs. ILLINOIS (2-1)
ILL Probable: Mike Stankiewicz (RHP, 0-0, 1.50 ERA)
SFA Probable: Heath Konescheck (LHP, 0-0, 1.80 ERA)
Live Stats: Gametracker on fightingillini.com
Series: Illinois leads 1-0
Last Meeting: Illinois won 11-6 (3/4/07)
Streak: W1

Illinois-Chicago (0-3) vs. ILLINOIS (2-1)
ILL Probable: Aaron Martin (RHP, 1-0, 0.00 ERA)
UIC Probable: Mike Kool (RHP, 0-1, 11.57 ERA)
Live Stats: Gametracker on fightingillini.com
Series: Illinois leads 20-6
Last Meeting: Illinois won 4-2 (3/19/06)
Streak: W1

Quick Hits
• Illinois' 2-1 record last weekend was the team's best opening-weekend mark since also going 2-1 to start the 2005 season.

• The Illini pitching staff allowed just six runs last weekend, the fewest runs given up on the season's first weekend since the 1976 team allowed just four.

• In allowing six runs last weekend, the Illinois staff limited its opponents to scoring in just three innings. Illini foes tallied runs only in the fourth, sixth and ninth innings last weekend.

• Four Illini pitchers finished the first weekend without giving up an earned run. Aaron Martin, Ben Reeser, Kevin Manson and Nick Chmielewski all brought a 0.00 ERA home with them from Edinburg.

• Known for their base-stealing ways over the past few years, this Fighting Illini team ran early and often on the season's first weekend, swiping 8-of-9 bags. Five different Illini recorded a steal, with Kyle Hudson's 3-of-3 leading the way.

Illini Travel to Baylor Classic
Fresh off a 2-1 opening weekend, the Fighting Illini travel back to the state of Texas to compete in the 2008 Quala-T Imprints Baylor Classic at Baylor Ballpark. Illinois will face the No. 22 Baylor Bears Friday at 6:30 p.m., then will play Stephen F. Austin on Saturday at 2 p.m. The Illini wrap up the tournament against Illinois-Chicago Sunday at 11 a.m.

Illinois Against Baylor Classic Field
Illinois is 1-0 all-time against Baylor, having defeated the Bears, 14-5, in the 1998 South I Regional in Gainesville, Fla. The Illini also are 1-0 against Stephen F. Austin, downing the Lumberjacks 11-6 in the 2007 Al Ogletree Classic. On Sunday, Illinois will face its most familiar foe to this point in the season in Illinois-Chicago. The Illini lead that all-time series 20-6, most recently defeating the Flames 4-2 during the 2006 Spring Trip.

New Kids on the Block
In a scheduling quirk, Illinois has faced 13 of its 21 non-conference opponents fewer than five times. Since the majority of midweek games after Spring Trip are annual series, 13 of the 14 teams the Illini play in the first month of the season have faced the Orange and Blue five times or fewer in history.

Last Meetings Vs. Baylor Classic Field
The last time Illinois faced Baylor was in the 1998 South I Regional in Gainesville, Fla. The Illini ripped the Bears, 14-5, on the way to the regional championship game. The Orange and Blue also pasted Stephen F. Austin, 11-6, in the teams' only meeting, which took place March 4, 2007. And Illinois snuck by Illinois-Chicago in the teams' last meeting, 4-2, over the Illini's Spring Trip in 2006.

Last Time Out: Al Ogletree Classic
The Fighting Illini started the season strong, winning two of three games at the Al Ogletree Classic hosted by Texas-Pan American. Illinois opened the campaign with a 6-4 comeback win over Sam Houston State. The Illini grabbed an early 2-0 lead, but SHSU battled back with a four-run sixth inning. Illinois scored a pair of runs in the seventh to retake the lead and added an insurance run in the ninth.

Against Texas State, the Bobcats scored first on a pair of fourth-inning doubles for a 1-0 lead.Illinois scratched across a run in the eighth to tie the game, but TSU scored the game-winner in the ninth after an error, a wild pitch and a base hit for the final 2-1 margin.

Against Lamar on Sunday, Illinois had to rely on its pitching in the 1-0 win. Aaron Martin started and tossed five solid innings, giving up five hits with two strikeouts and no walks. Ben Reeser took the ball in the sixth and worked four innings for his first career save, allowing just two base runners and tying his career high with five strikeouts. Kyle Hudson scored Illinois' run with Brandon Wikoff driving him in.

Illini Open Season with Stellar Pitching
Illinois pitchers gave up just six runs on the season's first weekend, the 13th-fewest runs allowed in the first three games of a season in school history. It also is the fewest runs allowed since the 1974 staff gave up just five runs, and only the fifth time an Illini staff has allowed six or fewer runs since World War II.

Opening Weekend Runs Allowed (Post-WWII)

    Runs    Year
1.    4    1976
2.    5    1974
3.    6    2008
    6    1973
    6    1965

Illinois Returns to Stealing Ways
Much like the last two seasons, Illinois stole bases early and often in the season's first weekend, swiping 8-of-9 bases. Five different Illini stole a base last weekend, with Kyle Hudson's 3-for-3 effort and Joe Bonadonna's 2-for-3 weekend leading the way. Hudson currently ranks second in the Big Ten in steals.

Johnson Continues Canadian Catcher Tradition
Sophomore catcher Aaron Johnson may not have Illini fans asking "Lars who?" quite yet, but the rookie from New Brunswick certainly stepped in ably for his fellow Canadian in Illinois' first weekend, hitting .333 while throwing out 3-of-6 would-be base-stealers. Johnson also picked off a runner over the weekend. He is Illinois' third Canadian catcher in the last four years, following Chris Robinson and Lars Davis, both of whom were third-round MLB Draft picks.

*Complete game notes available in attached PDF file.