May 1, 2010

Box Score

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Illinois tied the game in the eighth with a pair of runs and right fielder Craig Lutes ripped a walk-off solo homer to give the Illini a 4-3 win over Northwestern on Saturday. Illinois starting pitcher Kevin Johnson pitched eight quality innings, allowing only three earned runs, and left fielder Casey McMurray collected a pair of hits.

"Kevin was outstanding today and Craig really came up big for us," Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb said. "Craig is just more confident in what he's doing this year and it's really showing on the field."

Northwestern got on top first after a leadoff double, a grounder to the right side that moved the runner to third and a passed ball in the second. The Wildcats added another run in the third on a solo homer by center fielder Arby Fields, his third of the series, to go ahead 2-0.

The Illini pushed across a run in the fifth when first baseman Mike Giller drew a one-out walk and moved to second on Lutes' sacrifice bunt. Third baseman Pete Cappetta then lined a single through the left side to drive in Giller and cut the Northwestern lead to 2-1.

Neither team could put anything together until the Wildcats got a run back in the eighth after a two-out walk and a double, pushing their lead to 3-1. Illinois fought back with two runs in the bottom of the eighth after catcher Adam Davis lined a single through the right side and shortstop Josh Parr was hit by a pitch. Center fielder Willie Argo drew a walk to load the bases and second baseman grounded to the shortstop, who bobbled the ball before getting Argo at second. But Davis came home, bringing the Illini within a run, and McMurray smashed a single through the left side to plate Parr and tie the game 3-3.

Closer Bryan Roberts entered the game in the top of the ninth and worked a 3-0 count to the first hitter of the inning before battling back and retiring him on a bouncer to the mound. Roberts then coaxed a grounder to the right of Cummins, but he ranged over and made a long throw to Giller at first to retire the hitter.

In the bottom half of the inning, Northwestern brought in its closer, Paul Snieder, who got Giller to ground out to first for the first out. But Lutes worked a 1-1 count before yanking a pitch high in the air down the right-field line that stayed just fair for a walk-off solo home run.

"That's my first walk-off since junior high," Lutes said. "It felt great and we can enjoy it tonight, but then we have to put it aside and come back out tomorrow to try to win the series. I just try to do what I can for the team and it's worked out this year."

Johnson bounced back from a rough outing at Michigan State last weekend by tossing eight solid innings, allowing three runs on nine hits and two walks with four strikeouts, needing only 82 pitches. Roberts struck out one in his perfect ninth inning to improve his record to 2-1.

McMurray was the lone Illini with two hits, going 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Lutes was 1-for-3 with the solo homer. Davis also was 1-for-3 with a run.

The Illini and Northwestern square off in the deciding game of the series on Sunday at 3:05 p.m. with Kevin Manson starting for Illinois and Zach Morton taking the ball for the Wildcats.