Feb. 24, 2012

Box Score

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BEAUMONT, Texas - The Fighting Illini committed two errors and gave up a pair of big innings late as Gonzaga took a 13-3 win over Illinois in the opening game of the YMBL Cardinal Classic on Friday at Vincent-Beck Stadium, hosted by Lamar University.

"We made some fundamental mistakes defensively today and as a pitching staff, we need to do a better job of battling through those," Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb said. "We didn't have a very good approach at the plate as a team, and we didn't hit well situationally when we had opportunities. But the great thing about baseball and about this tournament is that we get another opportunity against the same team tomorrow, so we have the ability to split the series."

The Bulldogs got on the board in the first inning after a leadoff single. The runner moved up a base on a tapper back to Illini starter Kevin Johnson and advanced to third on a bouncer in front of the plate that catcher Kelly Norris-Jones fielded. After a walk, Johnson gave up an RBI single before coaxing a grounder to second baseman Michael Hurwitz to end the inning.

Johnson looked to find a groove in the second inning, inducing a pair of groundouts before giving up a bunt single. But Norris-Jones cut down the runner stealing to end the frame. Illinois got its first hit off Bulldog starter Marco Gonzales with a one-out single by Norris-Jones, but DH David Kerian bounced into an inning-ending double play to erase it.

Johnson allowed a leadoff double in the third and the next hitter beat out a slow chopper to shortstop Reid Roper. Roper's throw to first skipped past Jordan Parr, allowing the lead runner to score and the batter to move to second. Johnson kept his composure, though, coaxing a foul pop-up to third baseman Brandon Hohl, a groundout to Roper and a grounder to Hurwitz to end the inning with Gonzaga leading 2-0.

The Illini starter gave up a leadoff walk in the fourth before fielding a sacrifice bunt and coaxing a pop-up to Hurwitz and a groundout to Hohl to keep the Zags off the board. Gonzales stayed in control against the Illini bats, though, setting them down in order in the fifth.

The bottom of the fifth was when it came to a head for the Illini as Johnson gave up a leadoff single and the next batter reached on an error by Hurwitz on an apparent double-play ball. Davis Hendrickson made a nice running catch against the next batter, but a run scored on the sacrifice fly. Johnson induced a groundout to Hurwitz, but it was too softly hit for a twin killing, and the next batter singled to right-center, putting men on the corners. Johnson gave up an RBI single up the middle and another base hit through the left side that scored a run. After a walk, Ronnie Muck relieved Johnson and struck out the first hitter he faced to keep the Bulldogs' lead at 5-0.

Gonzales ran his string of consecutive batters retired to 10 after a 1-2-3 sixth inning and freshman Anthony Milazzo came on to pitch the sixth for the Illini, making his first career appearance. He coaxed a groundout to Roper before giving up a base hit. But he induced a foul pop-up to Hohl on a hit-and-run that resulted in an inning-ending double play.

The Illini appeared to have something brewing in the seventh when Hurwitz led off with a double down the left-field line. Left fielder Justin Parr moved him to third with a groundout and Hohl lifted a sacrifice fly to deep center to bring Hurwitz home and cut the margin to 5-1. Roper beat out an infield single but was picked off first to end the inning.

But the bullpen faltered in the seventh inning, allowing four runs on five hits and a walk, as Gonzaga extended its lead to 9-1. Illinois looked to rally in the eighth, though, as center fielder Willie Argo and Jordan Parr sprayed first-pitch singles to start the frame. Hendrickson beat out an infield hit to load the bases, but Norris-Jones tapped one back to the mound on the first pitch he saw, starting a 1-2-3 double play. Kerian then struck out as Illinois went down without scoring in the inning.

The Bulldogs kept pouring it on in the bottom of the eighth, scoring four runs on five hits and a hit batter, to go ahead 13-1. Freshman outfielder Will Krug came on in relief of Tyler Hamer and coaxed a fly-out to Hendrickson and a Kerian at second base to end the inning.

Illinois put up a couple of runs in the top of the ninth as Krug led off with a base hit up the middle and pinch hitter Josh Ferry walked. Pinch hitter Thomas Shelton laced an RBI single into left-center that moved Ferry to third, and pinch hitter Thomas Lindauer drove home Ferry with a sacrifice fly to cut the margin to 13-3. But the rally ended there after a pair of fly-outs ended the game.

Offensively, Hurwitz was 1-for-3 with a run, while Roper, Argo, Hendrickson and Norris-Jones all went 1-for-3. Krug and Shelton each went 1-for-1, with Krug scoring a run and Shelton driving him in.

Milazzo posted a scoreless inning of work in his first career outing and Muck struck out the only hitter he faced. Krug also was perfect, retiring the two batters he faced.

The Illini return to action on Saturday, taking on Gonzaga at 11 a.m. before squaring off with the host Lamar Cardinals at 2:30 p.m. Left-hander Rob McDonnell will get the start against the Bulldogs, while right-hander Nick Chmielewski will toe the rubber against Lamar.