May 20, 2010

Box Score

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Illinois gave up six home runs to Indiana as the Hoosiers took an 11-5 victory at Sembower Field to open the final Big Ten series of the year. Right fielder Pete Cappetta hit his second home run in as many games, going 3-for-3 with two RBIs, but Indiana scored multiple runs in four innings. The Illini fall to 25-25 on the year, 9-13 in the Big Ten.

"We got behind in some counts and elevated some pitches," Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb said. "They hit some balls hard today and we weren't able to come up with many clutch hits.

Indiana grabbed an early lead in the first after Illini starter Lee Zerrusen walked Hoosier first baseman Jerrud Sabourin and gave up a two-run homer to right fielder Michael Earley, putting IU up 2-0.

Illinois looked to stage a rally in the third, loading the bases on back-to-back hits by shortstop Josh Parr and center fielder Willie Argo, and a bunt hit by first baseman Craig Lutes. Parr scored when left fielder Casey McMurray grounded into a double play and DH Aaron Johnson was called out on strikes to end the inning with Indiana holding onto a 2-1 lead.

But the Hoosiers added three runs in the fourth on a leadoff homer by Earley and a two-run dinger by shortstop Ethan Wilson. Zerrusen walked the bases full but was relieved by Brian de la Torriente, who coaxed a deep fly-out from slugger Alex Dickerson to end the inning with IU up 5-1.

Parr and Argo drew consecutive walks to start the fifth but Parr was picked off second, and Lutes and McMurray struck out to strand Argo at third base as Indiana kept its four-run lead.

De la Torriente worked a clean bottom of the fifth and the Illini pushed across two runs in the sixth. Johnson dropped a single down the right-field line to start the frame and Cappetta singled up the middle. Davis drove home Johnson with a single to center and Hohl was safe when he dropped down a sacrifice bunt but the throw to first was wild, loading the bases. Second baseman Christian Cummins brought in Cappetta with a sacrifice fly to left, but Parr hit into a 1-6-3 double play to end the inning as Illinois cut the margin to 5-3.

Indiana used two more homers in the sixth to extend its lead to 8-3, as Wilson hit his second dinger of the day to start the frame and Dickerson smacked a two-out, two-run job to straightaway center for the Hoosiers' fifth bomb of the game.

IU tacked on three more in the seventh on catcher Dylan Swift's first career home run, a three-run job to left, to make the score 11-3. Illinois got two runs back in the eighth when Johnson legged out an infield hit to start the frame and Cappetta smashed a two-run homer to left, cutting the margin to 11-5. The Illini weren't able to get anything going at the plate in the final inning and fell by that score.

Cappetta was 3-for-3 with a homer and two RBIs, and Johnson went 2-for-4 with two runs. Argo also went 2-for-4 and drew a walk.

The Illini and Hoosiers square off in game two of the series Friday at noon CT. Kevin Johnson will start for the Illini, while Jonny Hoffman will take the ball for Indiana.