April 29, 2011

Box Score

EVANSTON, Ill. - Designated hitter Justin Parr collected two hits but Northwestern scored seven runs in their final two times to the plate as the Wildcats took a 9-2 win over the Illini in the series-opener at Rocky Miller Park on Friday. Parr went 2-for-4 with a run and second baseman Pete Cappetta was 1-for-3 with a run to lead the Illini.

"I thought Kevin Johnson battled early but was behind in the count a lot," Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb said. "We weren't very strong out of the bullpen and we made mistakes in the field. Plus, we didn't hit well today. When those three things happen, you aren't going to win many games."

The Illini got a pair of runs in the first inning after second baseman Pete Cappetta drew a leadoff walk and DH Justin Parr knocked a single to right-center. Third baseman Brandon Hohl was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Cappetta scored when Northwestern third baseman Chris Lashmet couldn't handle catcher Adam Davis' grounder. Left fielder Casey McMurray grounded into a 5-3 double play, allowing Parr to score and put the Orange and Blue up 2-0.

Both teams went down scoreless in the second and the Illini couldn't push across a run in the third. In the bottom half, Illinois starter Kevin Johnson walked the first two hitters he faced before striking out Northwestern DH Paul Snieder for the first out. Lashmet poked a single to right and Illini right fielder Davis Hendrickson bobbled the ball and slipped, but the runner at third also slipped as he rounded the base and two Wildcat runners ended up on third base. Illinois got the lead runner out in a run-down and Johnson fanned first baseman Jack Havey to escape the jam and keep Northwestern scoreless.

In the top of the fourth, Davis knocked a leadoff single through the left side and, one out later, stole second. But first baseman Matt Dittman struck out, center fielder Willie Argo was hit by a pitch and right fielder Davis Hendrickson grounded out to end the inning.

Northwestern got a run in the fourth after a leadoff single, a stolen base and an RBI single to right field, cutting Illinois' lead to 2-1. The Wildcats tied it up with an unearned run in the sixth when second baseman Kyle Ruchim reached and moved to second when Hohl's throw was wide of first on a slow roller play. A groundout to the right side of the infield moved the runner to third and he came home on a double over the first-base bag to tie the game, 2-2.

Northwestern took the lead in the seventh after a one-out walk by Johnson and a base hit put runners on the corners. Reliever Luke Joyce took over for Johnson but gave up back-to-back RBI singles before inducing a pair of groundouts to get out of the inning as the Wildcats took a 4-2 lead.

Cappetta led off the eighth with a base hit to center, but Parr and Hohl flew out. Cappetta stole second but Davis grounded out to end the inning.

The Wildcats broke the game open in the eighth, using four hits, an Illini error, two walks and a hit batter to push across five runs before Lee Zerrusen relieved Ronnie Muck and got out of the inning with a pop-up and a groundout with Northwestern leading 9-2. The Illini couldn't get anything going in the ninth and fell by that score.

Parr was the only Illini with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with a run. Cappetta was 1-for-3 with a walk, a steal and a run, and Argo walked twice, was hit by a pitch and stole a base.

The same two teams square off on Saturday at 1 p.m., with Illinois sending right-hander John Anderson to the hill and Northwestern giving the ball to right-hander Luke Farrell.