May 21, 2008

Box Score

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Kevin Manson was nearly unhittable against fifth-seeded Ohio State, tossing a four-hit complete game, and second baseman Joe Bonadonna hit the game-winning home run, the first of his career, to lift fourth-seeded Illinois to a 3-2 win in the opening game of the 2008 Big Ten Tournament at the Wilpon Baseball Complex. Both runs OSU scored were unearned as Manson struck out four and faced just four batters more than the minimum in the Illini's second-straight complete-game outing by a pitcher in a Big Ten Tournament opener. The Illini will face top-seeded Michigan on Thursday at 6:05 p.m. (CT).

"Kevin was just outstanding today," Illinois coach Dan Hartleb said. "He threw three pitches for strikes and was ahead in the count most of the day. He did an excellent job of getting us off to a good start in this tournament."

Illinois got on the board first in the first inning, scoring a run without the benefit of a hit. Center fielder Kyle Hudson walked and stole second, tying Shawn Roof's school record of 40 steals. On the play, catcher Dan Burkhart's throw was wide of the bag, allowing Hudson to advance to third. One out later, he scooted home on a deep sacrifice fly by shortstop Brandon Wikoff for a 1-0 lead.

Ohio State struck back with a pair of runs in the second, using a two-run double to take advantage of a dropped pop-up on the infield and grab a 2-1 lead. But the Illini tied the game in the third when Wikoff legged out a one-out double and scored one out later when right fielder Daniel Webb dropped a single into left field, tying the game at 2.

From there, Manson was dealing, setting the Buckeyes down in order in the fourth after doing the same in the third. He gave up a leadoff single and a sacrifice moved the runner to second in the fifth. But Manson coaxed a flyout to right field and a popup to second baseman Joe Bonadonna to work out of the situation.

"I basically just mixed it up a lot," Manson said. "We figured out some things to do against their hitters during our series two weeks ago, but the biggest thing for me today was my confidence. I had a bad outing last week against Purdue, so it felt good to bounce back like this today."

Illinois got a one-out single from catcher Aaron Johnson in the fifth, followed by a walk to DH Daniel Webb, but two groundouts kept the Illini off the board. Manson picked it back up in the sixth and seventh, retiring OSU in order in both frames, to bring Bonadonna to the plate as the leadoff man in the seventh. He worked a 1-1 count and ripped his first career home run on an inside fastball, clearing the 26-foot-high brick wall in left field to give Illinois a 3-2 lead.

That was all Manson needed, as he set down OSU in order in the eighth, giving him 10 consecutive batters retired before he gave up a leadoff single in the ninth. But Buckeye center fielder J.B. Shuck grounded into a 4-6-3 double play started by a great backhanded flip by Bonadonna, followed by a nice turn by Wikoff. OSU first baseman Justin Miller flew out to Hudson in center to end the game, giving Manson his first career complete game.

In all, the lanky sophomore retired the Buckeyes in order in six innings, allowing lone base hits in the fifth and ninth as well as surrendering a pair of hits in the second. He only went to a three-ball count one time and recorded a first-pitch strike to 22 of 31 hitters (70 percent). He needed only 96 pitches in the complete game, throwing 67 strikes (69.8 percent) in his most efficient outing in the Orange and Blue.