May 13, 2011

Box Score

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Illinois wasn't able to bunch hits together and Purdue came up with a pair of key hits as the Boilermakers pulled out a 3-1 win at Lambert Field on Friday. Second baseman Pete Cappetta and first baseman Matt Dittman each recorded two hits and Kevin Johnson allowed only two earned runs as he took the hard-luck loss.

"They were able to come up with some two-out hits and execute in key situations and we weren't," Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb said. "Kevin Johnson pitched well enough to win today but we didn't give him much run support."

Illinois (20-25 overall, 10-9 Big Ten) tried to push across a run in the second inning when Dittman roped a one-out double to left-center. He moved to third on center fielder Willie Argo's infield single but the runners were stranded there after a strikeout and a groundout.

The Illini tried to get something going in the third after a leadoff single by Cappetta and a walk by DH Justin Parr. They each moved up a base on a wild pitch but catcher Adam Davis struck out looking at third baseman Brandon Hohl flew out to shallow left. Cappetta tried to tag up on the fly ball but was out by an eyelash at the plate, keeping the game scoreless.

Purdue (32-16, 11-8) got on the board first with a leadoff homer in the bottom of the third by left fielder Stephen Talbott, who hammered a 1-0 offering from Johnson over the fence in left to put the Boilermakers up 1-0. But he bounced back to retire the side without any further damage.

Illinois had a man in scoring position in the fifth after a leadoff single by shortstop Josh Parr and a one-out walk to Justin Parr. But they were stranded there and the Illini were kept off the scoreboard.

The Boilers got a run after an error by Cappetta, a stolen base and a one-out double to extend their lead to 2-0. But Illinois fought back in the sixth when Dittman ripped his second one-out double of the day and moved to third on Argo's groundout to second base. Right fielder David Hendrickson then knocked a first-pitch RBI single back through the box to drive in Dittman and cut Purdue's lead to 2-1.

The Old Gold and Black tacked on a run in the seventh after a leadoff double by Talbott, a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly in which Talbott narrowly beat Hendrickson's throw to the plate, pushing the Boiler lead to 3-1.

Chris Pack came on to work a perfect ninth inning for the Illini, and Cappetta ripped a two-out double to the left-field corner. Justin Parr walked on four pitches, but Purdue brought in closer Nick Wittgren, who struck out Davis to end the game.

Dittman went 2-for-4 with two doubles and a run, and Cappetta was 2-for-5 with a double. Justin Parr also reached base four times, going 0-for-1 with four walks.

Johnson gave up three runs - two earned - on eight hits and a walk with three strikeouts. Pack worked a perfect ninth inning on 13 pitches.

The Illini and Boilers return to Lambert Field for game two of the series Saturday at 1 p.m. CT. Illinois will send right-hander John Anderson to the hill, while Purdue has yet to name a starter.