March 12, 2010

Box Score

CONWAY, S.C. - Illinois got a strong outing from starting pitcher Will Strack but three errors and two passed balls in the final two innings opened the door to eight late runs by Lipscomb as the Bisons pulled out an 8-6 victory in the first game of the Caravelle Resort Classic at Watson Stadium on the campus of Coastal Carolina.

After a strong first three innings by Strack, the Illini got on the board in the third inning when catcher Adam Davis drew a one-out walk and shortstop Josh Parr singled to left. The runners advanced on a groundout by second baseman Christian Cummins and right fielder Mike Giller was hit by a pitch to load the bases. DH Aaron Johnson singled through the left side, driving in a pair to give the Illini a 2-0 lead.

Strack allowed a couple of singles in the fourth but got out of the jam, then had a runner reach scoring position with one out in the fifth before coaxing a pop-up and a fly-out to end the threat. He gave up a one-out walk in the sixth but induced a 6-4-3 double play to get out of the inning.

The Illini tacked on another run in the sixth when Giller led off the inning with a single and stole second and advanced to third on Johnson's grounder up the middle. After first baseman Matt Dittman walked, left fielder Casey McMurray drove him in with a sacrifice fly to left, pushing the Illini lead to 3-0.

Strack worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning but the eighth was when things started to get away from the Illini. With one out, Parr committed an error and the runner stole second. Strack's pickoff attempt to second went into center field, allowing the runner to move up to third. Lipscomb got on the board when third baseman Brandon Hohl fielded a grounder and held the runner at third too long, as his throw to first was too late to get the batter. Strack walked the next hitter to put men on first and second with one out before giving way to reliever John Anderson. A wild pitch moved the lead runner to third and a walk loaded the bases. Anderson gave up a two-run single, tying the game 3-3, and hit the next batter to reload the bases. Two passed balls sandwiched around a strikeout allowed to more runs to come home for a 5-3 Bisons lead.

The Illini got a run back when Johnson knocked a one-out double, advanced to third on a fielding error by the center fielder and came home when the center fielder's throw was wide of the target, bringing the Illini within 5-4.

Closer Lee Zerrusen induced a groundout by Lipscomb's first hitter and gave up a single before that runner was thrown out attempting a steal of second for the second out of the inning. But Zerrusen gave up consecutive singles and a two-run double before Parr made his second error of the game. A double-steal allowed the Bisons to score their final run and make it 8-4.

The Illini attempted a ninth-inning comeback when pinch-hitter Willie Argo ripped a leadoff double to right-center and scored one out later when the third baseman's throw was wide of first base on Cummins' grounder. Giller singled to right-center, pushing Cummins to third, and Johnson drove home Cummins with a single through the left side. But center fielder Pete Cappetta, who pinch-ran for Dittman in the eighth, grounded into a game-ending 5-4-3 double play as Lipscomb held on for the 8-6 win.

Johnson was 3-for-5 with a double, three RBIs and a run in the game, and Giller went 2-for-4 with a run. Strack put forth another strong outing, allowing three unearned runs on four hits and three walks in 7 1/3 innings with five strikeouts, earning a no-decision.