Illinois Baseball Report

I had my doubts about any Tuesday night game happening but it looks like this front just might move on through and while it won’t be sunny, it’s looking like the precipitation will be past us.  If so, Eastern Illinois is coming to town and while most don’t think of them as a big sports [...]

Filed under: Game Previews on April 13th, 2009 | Leave a Comment! »

I didn’t want to jinx it but I had a sneaky suspicion that Illinois firstbaseman Matt Dittman’s efforts against Michigan might have been good enough to garner him Big Ten Player of the Week.  They were.  Dittman had started in only one Big Ten game before this weekend and boy, he really made the most [...]

Filed under: Awards on April 13th, 2009 | Leave a Comment! »

Once again, Michigan scored first but Illinois came back to win another one from Wolverines to take the series from UM in Ann Arbor. Michigan scored two in the first but Illinois rallied to put three on the board in the second inning thanks to consecutive singles by Aaron Johnson and Josh Parr and a [...]

Filed under: Game Recaps on April 12th, 2009 | 1 Comment »

I admit it.  From down here in Illinois, things didn’t look too good for the Orange and Blue Saturday afternoon.  Down by scores of 4-0 and 6-3, it looked like Michigan might go up 2-0 in the series. But wow, what a comeback!  Behind the offensive efforts of Joe Bonadonna (3 for 5, 2B, 4 [...]

Filed under: Game Recaps on April 11th, 2009 | Leave a Comment! »

After two home weekends against Big Ten teams, Illinois goes on the road.  More specifically, to Ray Fisher Stadium in Ann Arbor to play 2008 Big Ten champs University of Michigan.  We decided that the Q&A with the Indiana baseball blog Behind the Plate went so well, we decided to do it again.  This time [...]

Filed under: Game Recaps on April 8th, 2009 | 2 Comments »

MSU fan Tom Tomkins posted some Spartan photos from last weekend’s series against Northwestern on his blog, Oak Openings and Observations.  It looks like we played MSU at just about the right time.  After we swept them, they mightily defeated Central Michigan 20-3.  The Roof Brothers (brothers of former Illinois SS Shawn) had an incredible [...]

Filed under: Big Ten on April 8th, 2009 | Leave a Comment! »

Okay, considering we were playing the last place team in the Missouri Valley Conference, that was awfully difficult.  We came out on top 11-9 but it was a rollercoaster battle with Bradley coming back from a 7-2 deficit to tie it 7-7.   Even when Illinois had it wrapped up 11-7 in the top of the [...]

Filed under: Game Recaps on April 8th, 2009 | Leave a Comment! »

Ben Reeser tossing over to first during the first game against Indiana on Saturday After a 1-2 weekend against the Hoosiers, the Illini will host the Bradley Braves at Illinois Field.    By Tuesday game time, it looks to a bit chilly but nothing like the MSU Sunday.  My source says 43 degrees and partly sunny. [...]

Filed under: Game Previews on April 6th, 2009 | Leave a Comment! »

The difference was night and day for the Illini.  Compared to Friday night’s game against the Indiana, our pitchers pitched well, we had good defense and we kept Josh Phegley at bay (1 for 9, 1 rbi, 1 run). Ben Reeser was one strike from a shutout Unfortunately, we only managed to win one game [...]

Filed under: Game Recaps on April 4th, 2009 | Leave a Comment! »

Note: Because of impending bad weather on Sunday, the two remaining games will be played Saturday as a doubleheader starting at noon. Something happened at Illinois Field that hasn’t occurred all year. Illinois lost. Josh Phegley It wasn’t a close game, it wasn’t a heartbreaker.  It was a train wreck.  Indiana crushed Illinois 14-4 behind [...]

Filed under: Game Recaps on April 3rd, 2009 | 2 Comments »