Box Score April 20, 2011
Box Score
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -
Eastern Illinois scored seven runs in the first two innings and went on to win 10-2 over Illinois at Illinois Field on Wednesday. Designated hitter Justin Parr went 2-for-2 with a walk, while shortstop Josh Parr had a hit and an RBI on the night as the Illini fell to 12-20 on the season.
"(Starting pitcher Lee Zerrusen) was up in the zone and wasn't throwing multiple pitches for strikes," Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb said. "From a hitting standpoint, we didn't swing at good pitches. We need to start putting wins together; it doesn't matter whether it's a weekend game or a mid-week game."
EIU pushed across five runs on six hits in the top of the first inning, sending 11 batters to the plate in the frame and knocking out Zerrusen. The Panthers added two more runs in the second on a walk, a base hit and a two-run double to go up 7-0.
Illinois got a run back in the bottom of the second after first baseman Matt Dittman was hit by a pitch to start the inning and moved to third on right fielder Davis Hendrickson's double down the right-field line. Dittman came home on a sacrifice fly by shortstop Josh Parr to get within 7-1.
In the third, DH Justin Parr knocked a leadoff single but was put out at second on left fielder Casey McMurray's grounder to shortstop. After a pop-up, catcher Adam Davis and Dittman drew walks to load the bases and center fielder Willie Argo forced in a run by drawing a walk, cutting the EIU lead to 7-2.
But EIU tacked on two more runs in the fourth with a one-out walk, a double and a two-run single to go ahead 9-2. Illini reliever Will Strack, who entered in the fourth and recorded the final two outs, erased a one-out walk in the fifth with a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. In the sixth, Ronnie Muck took over for Strack and gave up a leadoff double but stranded that runner, retiring the next three hitters.
The Illini looked to be threatening in the sixth when Hendrickson drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on shortstop Josh Parr's groundout. But the next hitter struck out and Hendrickson was picked off to end the inning.
The Panthers added a run in the seventh after a one-out walk and a double to increase their lead to 10-2. Reliever Luke Joyce, who recorded the final two outs of the seventh inning, fanned a pair in the eighth while working a 1-2-3 inning. Wes Braun took over in the ninth and worked around a one-out error to post a scoreless inning. Parr singled to start the bottom of the ninth, but he was stranded there as EIU took a 10-2 win.
Justin Parr went 2-for-2 with a walk, while Hendrickson, Josh Parr and third baseman Brandon Hohl all notched hits. Parr also drove in a run and Dittman walked twice and scored a run. Strack and Joyce both posted 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief, while Muck and Braun worked scoreless frames.
The Illini return to action this weekend when they host Big Ten-leading Michigan State in a three-game weekend series. Sophomore right-hander Kevin Johnson will take the hill for Illinois in Friday's series-opener, which starts at 6:05 p.m.
