March 5, 2011

Box Score

DELAND, Fla. - Illinois took a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning but Stetson scored four runs in its final three at bats to take a 5-3 win in the Bright House Invitational on Saturday. Center fielder Willie Argo hit Illinois' first home run of 2011, a solo shot in the sixth inning, and right fielder Davis Hendrickson was 2-for-3 with an RBI. The Illini fall to 3-5 on the season.

"We weren't very good defensively tonight. We had some opportunities to score some runs with some key at bats and couldn't get it done. The bright spot was that John Anderson pitched very well even though he didn't get a lot of run support."

Stetson got on the board first after a one-out triple and a base hit in the first inning gave the Hatters a quick 1-0 lead. But Illini starter John Anderson quickly found a groove after that hiccup, retiring the next nine hitters he faced.

Illinois tied the score in the third when Hohl walked and moved to second on a groundout by DH Thomas Shelton. Right fielder Davis Hendrickson reached on an error and Hohl scored on another error on the same play, tying the game at 1.

The Illini looked to have something cooking in the fifth when Shelton singled to left with two outs and Hendrickson singled to left, and both runners moved up when the left fielder misplayed the ball. But Shelton was thrown out at the plate, leaving the score knotted at 1.

Argo bashed a two-out dinger in the sixth, but Anderson ran into trouble in the bottom half. He gave up a leadoff hit and the next batter reached on a bunt single. Anderson threw wildly, allowing the lead runner to move to third. An RBI single brought in a run and both runners moved up on a wild pitch. A groundout to Hohl brought home another run, putting the Hatters up 3-2.

The Illini again had something brewing in the seventh when Hohl singled with two outs and pinch hitter Pete Cappetta walked. Hendrickson walked to load the bases, but a reliever came in for Stetson and struck out shortstop Josh Parr to end the inning.

Stetson added a run in the bottom of the seventh when a one-out single, a fly-out and a throwing error put runners on second and third. A single through the left side pushed the Hatters' lead to 4-2. They tacked on another run in the eighth after a hit batter, a sac bunt, a groundout and an RBI single, extending their lead to 5-2.

Illinois tried to start a rally in the ninth when catcher Adam Davis led off the frame with a base hit. But he was put out on second baseman Justin Parr's grounder. After another out, Cappetta walked and Hendrickson singled to right, scoring Parr. But Josh Parr grounded back to the pitcher to end the game with Stetson winning, 5-3.

Anderson took the loss to move to 1-1 on the season, allowing four runs - three earned - on seven hits and a walk with two strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings. Chris Pack relieved him and gave up a run on two hits in 1 2/3 innings of work.

The Illini wrap up the Bright House Invitational Sunday against Columbia. Game time has been moved up to 9 a.m. CT because of impending weather.