This gentleman had the right idea during the break but a sweep was not in the cards for the Illini
Illinois was oh so close to a sweep of Minnesota this weekend. After a major comeback on Friday, they did the same for the first game on Saturday coming back from a 4-0 deficit to win 10-7.
In Game Two, Illinois battled and battled. They came from behind not once but twice but that wasn’t enough. The Golden Gophers offense scored four runs in the 7th and four more in the ninth to put the game out of reach. Final score 12-8.
Minnesota’s Game One’s starter Tom Buske ended up allowing four runs on six hits. Truth was he had a no-hitter going through the first four innings. Finally, in the fifth, Aaron Johnson’s basehit which scored Dom Altobelli was the initial hit for the Illini. Once that happened, the hits kept coming.
Casey McMurray comes into score during Illinois’ six-run 7th. He was 5 for 10 for the day.
The sixth inning was the real offensive point for Illinois in Game 1. The hits just seemed to fly off Illinois’ bats. Six runs, six hits, not to mention and odd play at the plate where Joe Bonadonna was awarded first on catcher’s interference.
Aaron Martin got the job done for the final inning for his 3rd save of the year albeit not without a little excitement. He allowed no hits or runs but a walk, a hit by pitch and a wild pitch.
Guys with juicy stats from Game 1:
Bonadonna 2 for 3, 3 runs, double, SB
Casey McMurray 2 for 5, 2 rbis, 2 runs
Aaron Johnson 2 for 4, 2 rbis, 1 run
Dom Altobelli 1 for 3, 2 runs, 1 rbi
Matt Ditttman 1 for 2, 1 run, 1 rbi
Pete Cappetta 1 for 4, 2 rbis
(yeah, most of the lineup)
Final Score: Illinois 10 Minnesota 7
In a lot of ways, game two was more of the same… Minnesota getting the lead then Illinois catching up. Unfortunately, we ran out of gas (both pitching and hitting) toward the end.
The Illini managed to tie the game 2-2 in the 4th fueled by Aaron Johnson’s triple. Down again by two the next inning, Illinois responded by scoring three runs thanks to Bonadonna’s double, two singles by McMurray and Altobelli and two errors by Gophers. By the seventh, Minnesota had scored four and and the Illini could only respond with one in the eighth. By that time is was 8-6 and anyone’s game.
Aaron Johnson hit his 6th homer of the year in Game 2
But when the Gophers came back with four again in the ninth making it 12-6, a chance for a third comeback win this weekend seemed pretty remote. Nobody told Aaron Johnson… he hit a two-run homerun giving the fans something to cheer about. Unfortunately, that was it for Illinois offense and Minnesota won the last game 12-8.
Again, a lot of good offensive performances in Game 2:
McMurray 3 for 5 1 run, 1 rbi
Altobelli 2 for 4, 2 runs, rbi, 2 SB
Matt Dittman 2 for 4, triple, 2 runs,1 rbi
Cappetta 2 for 4, double, 1 rbi
Johnson 1 for 4, homerun, 1 run, 2 rbis
Bonadonna 1 for 5, double, 1 run, 1 rbi,
Photos from Saturday are on the Photo Gallery
Notes and Comments on the Weekend:
I find it interesting that when the two teams with the best pitching and the best defense in the Big Ten get together and play a 3-game series, they end up playing a series like this. Both teams scored 62 runs for three games. You will certainly see ERAs go up on both teams.
Minnesota, who had the best defense in the conference coming into the weekend (if fielding average is any indication), committed nine errors for the weekend. If you’re wondering, Illinois did ok… they had one.
No, you didn’t see Ben Reeser start on Saturday. I didn’t think we would with his back problem. Will Strack came in and *all things considered* he did okay. Yes, he gave up 12 hits in six innings but they translated into only 5 runs thanks in part to him allowing no walks.
It would have been nice to sweep Minnesota but winning two made a statement to the then first-place Gophers and keeps us in the running. Ohio State swept Purdue over the weekend showing us who is the team to beat. Fortunately, we play them here at Illinois Field.
Conference-wise, we have Penn State and Northwestern coming up both away.