March 17, 2011

Box Score

Marion, Ill. - The University of Illinois baseball team fell to Northern Illinois University, 3-0, at Rent One Park on Thursday evening. Starting pitcher Kevin Johnson threw 7 and 2/3 innings, recording a career-high 11 strikeouts. Johnson's strikeout total was the most by an Illini pitcher since 2004, while the staff combined for a season-best 13 punch-outs.

"Kevin has thrown well all year," Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb said. "I thought he was slightly elevated on a few pitches, but he threw well enough to deserve the win. We just have to find a way to give him some run support, and we haven't done that yet."

Northern Illinois took the lead in the sixth inning on a single by Jamison Wells and an RBI-triple by Alex Jones. Two batters later, Joe Etcheverry singled to left field to score Jones, extending NIU's lead to 2-0. The Huskies plated the final run of the game in the eighth inning. Wells singled to right field and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Jones. Troy White then grounded out to second baseman Justin Parr, moving Wells to third. Etcheverry followed with a single up the middle to plate Wells and reach the final score, 3-0.

"They hit a couple of balls when they got their leadoff runners on and produced some runs," Hartleb said. "We just weren't very good at the plate tonight ... We continue each game to fall short in one area. I thought we played a very clean game defensively, pitched well enough to win and just didn't score any runs."

Josh Parr led the Illini at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double, single and one stolen base. The only other Illini hit of the night was a single off the bat of Willie Argo in the third frame. Pitchers Luke Joyce and Billy Barrett worked for a combined 1 and 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, striking out two Huskies.