Northwestern
Illinois
Baseball Falls to Illinois, 19-10
3/31/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 31, 2001
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Northwestern baseball team lost to the Fighting Illini of Illinois by a score of 19-10 at Illinois Field in Champaign. The second game of the four-game conference series saw both offenses explode. It was a back and forth game that NU took the lead on two occasions. Illinois' 15-hit attack and a 10-run sixth inning proved too much to overcome.
In all, both teams used seven pitchers, totaled 25 hits and tallied 19 runs. Illinois improves to 12-11 overall and 3-2 in the conference while the Wildcats fall to 10-15, 0-2.
Offensively for NU, Ken Padgett (Littleton, Colo./Arapahoe) led the way driving in three runs on 2-of-4 hitting including a three-run home run in the third inning. Senior Wesley Robinson (Bradenton, Fla./St. Stephen's) was 2-for-3 stroking his fifth double of the season. Freshmen David Gresky (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Ignatius) and Jason Krynski (Niles, Ill./Niles West) each had two RBI singles in the game along with designated hitter Travis Tharp (Boulder, Colo./Boulder).
Senior Michael Nall (Schaumburg, Ill./Schaumburg) started on the mound for NU, pitching five complete innings giving up 12 runs, striking out three and walking seven. Freshman Dan Konecny (Ripon, Wis./Ripon) and sophomore Christopher Spiering (Schaumburg, Ill./Conant) came in to finish the game. Konecny gave up six runs (five earned) in two-thirds and Spiering gave up one unearned run in one-third of an inning.
Illinois took an early lead with three runs in the first and two in the second compared to NU's one run in the first two innings. In the third, the Wildcats erupted for four runs including Padgett's three-run blast. Nall shut down the Illini offense in the bottom of the third. UI responded in the fourth with three runs, taking an 8-7 lead. Illinois tied the game with one run in the bottom of the fifth. With rain starting to fall, Northwestern put together a three-run sixth, taking a 10-9 lead. That's when the wheels fell off and Illinois plated 10 runs including a grand slam by IU catcher Patrick Arlis. NU went quietly in the seventh and U of I won 19-10.
Northwestern had 10 hits compared to Illinois' 15.
The second game of today's doubleheader was rained out when hard rain started to fall at the conclusion of game one. A doubleheader has been scheduled for tomorrow, starting at 1 p.m.
