Box Score April 12, 2011
Box Score
MATTOON, Ill. -
Illinois struck first with a second-inning solo home run by Brandon Hohl, but Eastern Illinois exploded for four runs in the sixth inning and held on for a 4-1 win over the Illini in front of 1,331 fans at Grimes Field and Peterson Park on Tuesday. It was Hohl's third-straight game with a home run but the Orange and Blue fell to 11-16 on the year.
"Lee Zerrusen pitched very well tonight," Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb said. "Hohl continued to swing the bat well, but we just weren't able to get an out in a tight situation out of the bullpen in the sixth inning. And we struggled to put back-to-back hits together, too."
The Illini struck first in the second inning when Hohl ripped the first pitch he saw with two outs in the second inning over the fence in left for a solo homer, his fourth of the year and third in the last three games, and a 1-0 lead.
Zerrusen found a groove from the start as he retired the first nine hitters he faced in the game, commanding both sides of the plate and keeping the Panthers off-balance. He gave up a leadoff double in the fourth to break up the perfect game and a sharply hit grounder to shortstop Thomas Lindauer kept the runner at second. Zerrusen walked EIU first baseman T.J. McManus before punching out slugger Ben Thoma and inducing a groundout to second baseman Justin Parr to keep the Panthers scoreless and maintain Illinois' 1-0 lead.
Center fielder Willie Argo smacked a single to left to start the sixth inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Parr. But he was caught stealing and left fielder Casey McMurray flew out to end the inning as the Illini weren't able to add to their lead.
But the Panthers finally struck in the bottom of the sixth when center fielder Zach Borenstein singled to right with one out and moved to third on a base hit through the right side. McManus then doubled over the head of right fielder Davis Hendrickson to drive in the tying run and put men on second and third. Zerrusen was relieved by Bill Barrett, who gave up a three-run home run to Thoma on a 3-2 count that put Eastern Illinois ahead, 4-1.
DH Adam Davis drew a leadoff walk in the seventh and, after an out, moved to second on a balk. But he was stranded there as Hohl flew out to deep left field and Lindauer struck out to end the inning.
Chris Pack relieved Barrett in the seventh and retired the Panthers in order, but the Illini couldn't get anything going in the top of the eighth. Pack allowed a leadoff single in the bottom half, but the next hitter's attempt to sacrifice the runner over went back to Pack on one bounce and he threw to second to start a double play. He coaxed a fly-out to right-center to retire the side and keep the Illini within striking distance.
But Illinois couldn't muster a comeback in the ninth, as McMurray reached on an error but EIU pitcher Brent McNeil struck out the side to finish the 4-1 Panther victory.
Hohl led the Illini offense with his 1-for-3 night that included a solo homer. Hendrickson, Argo and McMurray contributed Illinois' other three hits. Pack pitched two shutout innings of relief, allowing only one hit.
The Illini return home to face Southern Illinois on Wednesday at 6:05 p.m. Senior right-hander John Anderson will start for Illinois, while SIU will send righty Andrew Bever to the hill.
