Illinois Baseball Report

Today in Greenville, North Carolina, the Illini dropped their second game of the Keith LeClair Classic to the Western Carolina Catamounts by the score of 4-2.  This brings Illinois’ record to 1-4 for the season and itchin’ for a win.
Box Score
In the 2nd inning, Western Carolina accomplished something you don’t see everyday…  a triple play.
 Illinois [...]

Filed under: Game Recaps on March 6th, 2010 | Leave a Comment! »

Got a call from Illini baseball fan Sue who I haven’t seen since the last home series.  We chatted a bit on some of the summer goings-on of the Illini.  She clued me into some big news about Joe Bonadonna
Bonadonna (left), who was grabbed by the Rangers in the 43rd round has been doing [...]

Filed under: Former Illini in the pros on July 3rd, 2009 | Leave a Comment! »

Major kudos to Lee Zerrusen on his performance in the first half of the season in the Coastal Plain League.  Pitching for the Fayetteville Swampdogs, Lee has a miniscule 0.98 ERA in 13 appearances with 7 saves.  He has 21 strikeouts in 18 1/3 innings. 
To those watching during the 2009 Illini season, it [...]

Filed under: Summer League on July 1st, 2009 | Leave a Comment! »

By now, the minor league season has started for the Illinois players who were drafted earlier this month.  Let’s take a look at how they are doing in their new minor league settings.
Well, Brandon Wikoff is off to a hot start for the Tri-City ValleyCats in New York State.  After last night’s two-hit performance, Wikoff [...]

Filed under: Former Illini in the pros on June 25th, 2009 | Leave a Comment! »

 
Bonadonna:  Bound for Rookie League
As of today, four Illinois draftees have signed pro contracts with their respective teams.  Big Ten Network has the info.
Brandon Wikoff has signed with the Astros and will report to single-A Tri-City Valley Cats in the New York-Penn League.  He’ll start June 23. 
As mentioned before, Dominic Altobelli has [...]

Filed under: Former Illini in the pros on June 16th, 2009 | Leave a Comment! »

Illinois fans can celebrate again today as Illini centerfielder Joe Bonadonna was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 43rd round.  This makes three current Illinois players drafted, the most since 2005.  Yesterday, Brandon Wikoff was chosen in the fifth round and Dominic Altobelli was picked in the 16th round.
Bonadonna is a speedster and [...]

Filed under: Former Illini in the pros on June 11th, 2009 | Leave a Comment! »

Ben Reeser honored on Senior Day
Illinois took a loss today against Ohio State in their last home game of 2009 by the score of 12-7.  The Illini battled back but couldn’t overcome a pair of five-run innings by the Buckeyes. 

Brandon Wikoff sliding home to score in the second inning
It was Senior Day [...]

Filed under: Game Recaps on May 10th, 2009 | 4 Comments »

It was a tough game for the Illini though well played for the most part.  And even for the casual uninvolved observer, a very engaging game for lack of a better term. The lead changed six times during the course of the nine innings (if you count ties).  I mentioned to someone that the [...]

Filed under: Game Recaps on May 9th, 2009 | 5 Comments »

This game ranks up there as one of the best baseball games I’ve ever seen considering what was at stake, how many were in attendance and what actually went down.  And in case the photo above doesn’t give it away, Illinois won.
 

With Alex Wimmers (above left) and Phil Haig (above right) on [...]

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

The Illini defeated the Western Illinois Leathernecks at Illinois Field by the score of 7-1 thanks in much part to the bat of thirdbaseman Dominic Altobelli (below left).
Altobelli slammed 2 homeruns (one to left-center, the other to right) for rbis.  His 3 for 4 night extended his hitting streak to 16 games.  More amazing, [...]

Filed under: Game Recaps on May 5th, 2009 | Leave a Comment! »