March 20, 2011

Box Score

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Illinois threw out a Southern Illinois runner at the plate in the bottom of the tenth inning before scoring six runs in the top of the twelfth to take an 8-2 win over the Salukis at Abe Martin Field on Sunday. Will Strack allowed only two runs in eight innings in his first start of the season and the Illini bullpen worked four scoreless innings as the Orange and Blue out-hit SIU 13-3.

"It was a great team win today," Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb said. "We did a great job defensively and on the mound, and we hit up and down the lineup. Will Strack was excellent today and the bullpen was very good, too. They all came in and kept us in a position to extend the game. We just played good baseball."

The Illini (6-10) scored first with a pair of runs in the third inning. Right fielder Davis Hendrickson beat out an infield hit and stole second. After an out, Hendrickson moved to third on a wild pitch and scored when SIU's catcher mishandled the throw home on second baseman Thomas Lindauer's grounder. One out later, shortstop Josh Parr doubled to right-center, bringing home Lindauer for a 2-0 lead.

Strack worked a quick bottom of the third but ran into trouble in the fourth. He issued a one-out walk and gave up a base hit up the middle. After fanning the next batter, Strack loaded the bases with a walk and a run scored on a wlid pitch. The next batter beat out an infield hit to drive home another run and tie the game, 2-2.

But Strack settled down, needing only eight pitches to retire the Salukis in the fifth and just five pitches in a 1-2-3 sixth inning. The Illini looked to have something going after SIU brought in reliever Eaton to start the seventh. Hendrickson knocked a two-out single to left, stole second and moved to third on a throwing error by the catcher. But pinch hitter Thomas Shelton struck out to end the inning.

Strack continued his efficient ways in the seventh, using only seven pitches, and Lindauer started the eighth by drawing a walk. Center fielder Willie Argo advanced him to third with a base hit through the left side and Argo moved up on Parr's bunt. Left fielder Casey McMurray was intentionally walked to load the bases with only one out, but catcher Adam Davis popped up to third base and first baseman Matt Dittman flew out to right to end the rally.

Strack retired the Salukis on 10 pitches in the eighth, running his streak to 16 consecutive SIU hitters retired, but he walked the leadoff man in the ninth and was relieved by Luke Joyce. The freshman left-hander induced a sacrifice bunt and a foul-out before walking a batter. But he ended the inning with a liner to Argo to send the game to extra innings.

Lindauer was hit by a pitch to start the tenth inning, but Argo flew out to center and Parr lined into a double play that ended the Illini's time at bat. Joyce induced a groundout to start the bottom of the tenth before walking the next hitter. He stole second and the next batter singled to center. The runner was waved around third but was thrown out at home on an 8-3-2 putout. Joyce kept his composure and coaxed a fly-out to end the inning.

The Illini went down in order in the eleventh and Joyce gave up a leadoff walk in the bottom half. After a sacrifice bunt, Matt Milroy relieved Joyce and sandwiched a pair of outs around a hit batter to get out of the inning.

And that's when the floodgates opened for the Illini offense. Third baseman Brandon Hohl singled up the middle and Hendrickson beat out a bunt single. DH Pat Sheehan laid down a sacrifice bunt that moved both runners up a station and SIU brought in a reliever. Lindauer greeted him by dropping a two-run single into center field to put the Illini on top. Argo was hit by a pitch and Parr beat out an infield hit to load the bases before McMurray drove in Lindauer with a sacrifice fly. Davis singled through the left side to drive home Argo and, after another SIU pitching change, he and Parr executed a double-steal. Dittman then ripped a two-run base hit down the right-field line, plating Parr and Davis for an 8-2 lead.

Closer Wes Braun came in for Milroy and struck out the first two hitters he faced before retiring the game's final batter on a grounder to Dittman.

Hendrickson went 3-for-5 with two steals and two runs, and Dittman was 2-for-6 with two RBIs. Argo went 2-for-5 with a run and Parr was 2-for-5 with a double, a steal, an RBI and a run. Davis went 2-for-6 with an RBI, a steal and a run, and Lindauer went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs.

Strack was excellent in his first start of 2011, allowing only two runs on two hits and three walks in eight innings, striking out five. Joyce totaled 2 1/3 scoreless innings, while Milroy pitched a scoreless 2/3 of an inning and Braun tossed a scoreless twelfth inning.

For the trip, Parr hit .421 (8-for-19) with two doubles, three RBIs, four runs and 3-for-3 stolen bases. Hendrickson hit .333 (6-for-18) with a homer, an RBI, four runs and 2-for-2 steals, while Davis also hit .333 with three RBIs, four runs and 3-for-3 steals. McMurray went 6-for-18 (.333) as well, driving in five runs and scoring four. Hohl had a team-high six RBIs in four games and the Illini stole 14-of-15 bases.

Joyce posted a 0.00 ERA in 3 1/3 innings over three appearances on the trip, while Braun and Bill Barrett both notched a pair of scoreless outings.

The Illini return to action by hosting Indiana State on Friday at 3 p.m. in the 2011 home opener. The teams will play a three-game series with Saturday's game starting at 1 p.m. and Sunday's contest beginning at noon.