March 31, 2010

Box Score

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Illinois scored nine runs in the first two innings and cruised from there in an 18-2 drubbing of Chicago State in front of 662 fans in the 2010 home opener at Illinois Field. Designated hitter Aaron Johnson and pinch hitter Doug Schumacher homered, and five Illini players recorded two hits in the offensive explosion. Illinois improved to 9-9 on the season, while Chicago State fell to 1-13.

"It was nice to come out and get early runs and let our pitcher get settled in," Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb said. "It's always good to go into a weekend series on a confidence-builder."

Center fielder Willie Argo led off the bottom of the first with a single and first baseman Mike Giller singled, moving Argo to third. Left fielder Casey McMurray singled through the left side, plating Argo, and Johnson drove home Giller with a base hit. Third baseman Brandon Hohl drove in McMurray with a sacrifice fly and right fielder Craig Lutes doubled to left-center, scoring Johnson. Catcher Adam Davis singled through the left side and, one out later, shortstop Josh Parr knocked in Lutes with a single up the middle to give the Illini a quick 5-0 lead.

Starting pitcher Matt Milroy got into a bit of trouble in the second as CSU loaded the bases with two outs, but he induced a grounder to second baseman Pete Cappetta to avoid any damage. The Illini bats kept rolling in the bottom half, as McMurray drew a one-out walk and Johnson blasted the first pitch he saw well over the left-field fence for a two-run homer, his first of the year. After another out, Lutes walked and Davis was hit by a pitch. Cappetta hit a grounder to the shortstop, whose throw to second was wide of the bag and sailed into right field, allowing Lutes and Davis to score to make the Illini margin 9-0.

CSU got a run back in the third on a pair of singles and two walks, but Milroy regained control and fanned the final two batters of the inning to escape any further trouble with the score 9-1. Illinois scored another run in the fourth when Hohl led off with a triple down the right-field line and, an out later, Davis brought him home with a sacrifice fly, extending the Illini lead 10-1.

With one out in the fifth, Giller singled through the right side and McMurray laced a triple down the right-field line, plating Giller. Johnson was hit by a pitch and Hohl drove home McMurray with a sacrifice fly, pushing Illinois' margin to 12-1.

In the sixth inning, Davis lifted a sky-high pop-up to shallow center field, which the second baseman dropped, allowing Davis to motor all the way to third base. Cappetta drove him in with a sacrifice fly, pushing the lead to 13-1. CSU crossed the plate in the eighth with an unearned run after an error by Parr with two outs, a walk and a base hit, making the score 13-2.

But Illinois tacked on five more runs in the bottom of the eighth with pinch hitter Tom Shelton starting the parade with a triple off the wall in left-center. Pinch hitter Daniel Parker lined a single to right field, bringing home Shelton for his first career run, and Schumacher smashed a 1-0 pitch for a towering home run to left-center, his first career hit, home run, RBI and run. Pinch hitter Matt Cervantes walked and, one out later, Parr tripled into the right-center gap, plating Cervantes. Left fielder Pat Sheehan reached on an error by the shortstop that brought home Parr, pushing the lead to 18-2.

Bryan Roberts gave up a leadoff single in the ninth but he induced a groundout and fanned the final two hitters to cap Illinois' most lopsided win over a Division I team since it beat Northwestern 21-4 on May 6, 2005.

Johnson finished the night 2-for-3 with a homer, three RBIs and two runs, and McMurray was 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBIs and three runs. Parr went 2-for-5 with a triple, two RBIs and a run, and Giller was 2-for-3 with two runs and a steal. Argo also finished the night 2-for-4 with a steal and a run.

On the mound, Milroy allowed one run on five hits and five walks while striking out five in five innings of work for his first collegiate win. Kevin Manson worked a scoreless sixth inning and Corey Kimes was flawless in the seventh. Mike Sterk gave up an unearned run on two hits and a walk in the eighth before Roberts allowed a hit and struck out two in the ninth.

Illinois returns to action on Friday when it opens the Big Ten season against Penn State at 6:05 p.m. at Illinois Field. Sophomore Will Strack will take the ball for Illinois against the Nittany Lions' Mike Wanamaker.