May 22, 2008

Box Score

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Illinois scored first and held a 2-1 lead in the middle of the seventh, but No. 17 and top-seeded Michigan pushed across three runs in the bottom of the seventh and another in the eighth for a 5-2 win in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament. Scott Shaw tied a career high with seven strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings and DH Daniel Webb was 2-for-3 with a double to lead the Illini (31-24). No. 4-seed Illinois will now face sixth-seeded Indiana Hoosiers Thursday at 11:05 a.m. (CT) in an elimination game.

"Scott pitched very well tonight," Illinois coach Dan Hartleb said. "They just came up with some big hits in clutch situations and their pitching was excellent. But we played with emotion and I'm proud of our guys for fighting like they have all season."

Illinois touched the scoreboard first, bringing across a run in the fifth inning. Third baseman John Schlichter drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on left fielder Casey McMurray's base hit through the left side. Center fielder Kyle Hudson brought home Schlichter with a single to left for a 1-0 lead.

Shaw was masterful through the first five innings, giving up just three hits and racking up five strikeouts in his best outing of the year. But Michigan scratched across a run in the bottom of the sixth when third baseman Adam Abraham drew a one-out walk and stole second. After a strikeout, center fielder Kevin Cislo poked a single to left that drove in Abraham on a close play at the plate, tying the game at 1. Cislo took off on the second pitch to catcher Chris Berset, but Berset was ruled out on interference when Illini catcher Aaron Johnson's throw went off his bat and into left field.

But the Orange and Blue fought back with a run in the top of the seventh when first baseman Ryan Hastings legged out a bunt single and stole second despite a pitch-out attempt by the Wolverines. One out later, DH Dominic Altobelli drove in his 37th run of the year when Hastings beat the throw home on a single to left, giving the Illini a 2-1 lead.

The Wolverines finally got to Shaw in the bottom of the seventh when right fielder Ryan LaMarre knocked a leadoff double down the left-field line, just inside the bag at third. Shaw struck out Michigan shortstop Jason Christian and induced a groundout to shortstop Brandon Wikoff for the second out. After intentionally walking Big Ten Player of the Year Nate Recknagel, Wolverine pitcher/DH Zach Putnam walked to load the bases after being down in the count 1-2. Abraham then lined a single up the middle just out of Wikoff's reach to drive in two and Mike Stankiewicz came on in relief of Shaw. Stankiewicz gave up a single to left that brought in another run and Mike Sterk relieved Stankiewicz. Sterk coaxed a foul pop-out from Cislo to end the inning, but Michigan had grabbed a 4-2 lead.

The Maize and Blue added an insurance run in the eighth when Berset drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Christian laced a double to left-center that drove in Berset, but he was thrown out at third trying to advance on the throw home, making the score 5-2 in Michigan's favor.

Illinois looked to get something going in the top of the ninth when right fielder Daniel Webb laced a leadoff double into the left-field corner and Hastings moved him to third with a groundout. But he was stranded there as Wolverine reliever Michael Powers struck out the final two Illini hitters to record his fifth save of the year.

Offensively, Webb was 2-for-3 with a double and a walk, while Altobelli went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a walk. Hudson was 1-for-4 with an RBI and Hastings went 1-for-4 with a run and a stolen base. Shaw turned in his best start of the season, giving up four runs on six hits and six walks in 6 2/3 innings, striking out a career high-tying seven hitters.

Up Next: The Illini face sixth-seeded Indiana in Friday's first game of the day as both teams look to stave off elimination. Illinois will send freshman left-hander Phil Haig to the mound in an 11:05 a.m. (CT) start.