Feb. 14, 2014

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ATLANTA, Ga. - Redshirt-junior Reid Roper hit a two-run home run and sophomore Kevin Duchene turned in a solid start, but the Illini bullpen was unable to hold onto a 4-1 lead on Friday at the GSU Baseball Complex. Georgia State scored a run in each of the final four innings, including a walk-off RBI single in the 10th, as Illinois dropped the season opener, 5-4, in extra innings.

"I felt like we beat ourselves today," head coach Dan Hartleb said. "It was our first time outside, but we didn't get beat because it was our first time outside. We got beat because we didn't execute the fundamental things that we work on every day inside."

The Illini carried a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the seventh, where Duchene ran into trouble after retiring 10 of the previous 11 batters. GSU began the inning with a single and a walk and moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Sophomore Tyler Jay relieved Duchene after 100 pitches and gave up an RBI groundout before ending the stanza on a foul out to first with UI still leading 4-2.

Georgia State cut it to a one-run game in the bottom of the eighth by capitalizing on a leadoff hit by pitch. Jay recorded the next two outs but a walk put runners on first and second, forcing a pitching change. Senior closer Ronnie Muck replaced Jay and allowed an RBI single up the middle that made it 4-3 after eight innings.

Illinois put its first two hitters on base in the top of the ninth, but failed to tack on an insurance run. In the bottom of the ninth, GSU tied it at four on Chad Prain's one-out RBI double that plated Trae Sweeting, who pinch-ran after Joey Roach walked.

After UI went down in order in the top of the 10th, the Panthers ended the game in the bottom half. Muck walked the leadoff batter and a throwing error at first base put runners on second and third with nobody out. An intentional walk loaded the bases followed by a double play line out to first. With two outs and an 0-2 count, Greg Bowder singled to right field to bring home pinch-runner David Levy as the game-winning run. GSU's final three runs were scored by Panthers that reached base by either a hit by pitch or a walk.

"I was disappointed with the number of opponents we put on base late in the game by hitting and walking their hitters," Hartleb said.

Illinois jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning of the year. Junior Will Krug laced a double to left field to lead off the game, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on an RBI groundout by junior Michael Hurwitz.

After hitting the first batter of the year, Duchene retired the next three Panthers on groundouts. The Illini added another run following an extra-base hit in the second to go up 2-0. Sophomore Jason Goldstein doubled with one out and scored on an RBI single by sophomore Ryan Nagle to center.

The Panthers cut it to a 2-1 Illini lead in the bottom of the second. Chase Raffield started off the frame with a leadoff single and was plated on a two-out RBI double by Bowder. GSU hit .385 (5-for-13) with two outs and had three two-out RBI.

Roper belted the first Illini home run of the season with a two-out, two-run bomb that increased it to a 4-1 lead in the top of the sixth. The Harrisburg, Ill., native, who celebrated his 22nd birthday on Friday, hit his second career Opening Day home run. He also homered in his first career game as an Illini against Notre Dame on Feb. 17, 2012.

"Reid took a very good swing," Hartleb said. "He took a pitch up in the zone and put it over the center field wall. He showed that he is a guy who is capable of knocking in runs for us."

Duchene received a no decision after allowing two earned runs and six hits while striking out three in 6.1 innings. Muck suffered his first loss after giving up two runs (one ER), three hits and three walks in two innings.

Up Next: Illinois and Georgia State will take the field for game two of the series on Saturday at 1 p.m. CT, with righty John Kravetz going up against lefty Andrew Fessler on the mound.