May 8, 2009

Box Score |  Illinois-Ohio State Game 1 Photo Gallery 

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - No. 25 Illinois scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth on consecutive singles by center fielder Joe Bonadonna (Buffalo Grove, Ill.) and left fielder Casey McMurray (Willow Springs, Ill.) to capitalize on two ninth-inning errors by No. 27 Ohio State and top the Buckeyes, 5-4, in front of a school-record 5,214 fans Friday at Illinois Field. Bonadonna drove in two runs with his single to left-center and McMurray's RBI single drove home pinch hitter Mike Giller (Chicago, Ill.) for the comeback win, Illinois' 14th of the season.

The victory was the Illini's first when trailing after the seventh inning this season and also marked Ohio State's first loss when leading after seven frames. Illinois also held the Buckeyes to only four runs, meaning OSU is now 7-7 when scoring fewer than five runs in a game. The Orange and Blue improved to 32-14 overall and 15-4 in the Big Ten, remaining in first place in the league, one-half game ahead of Minnesota after the Gophers' 9-5 win at Michigan on Friday. The Illini now hold a two-game lead over Ohio State in the standings with five games remaining.

Ohio State (34-14, 13-6) jumped in front with a two-run homer in the first inning by center fielder Michael Stephens. Illini starter Phil Haig (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) found a groove after that inning, though, retiring eight consecutive batters into the fourth inning. With one out in the fourth, Haig walked a hitter and gave up a double to left-center, but he induced a grounder to third baseman Dominic Altobelli (Oak Forest, Ill.), who fired home for the out at the plate, and got a grounder to shortstop Brandon Wikoff (Peoria, Ill.) to end the inning.

Illinois cut the deficit in half in the fifth when third baseman Dominic Altobelli (Oak Forest, Ill.) blasted a 2-2 pitch to the opposite field for a solo homer, making the score 2-1. Haig gave up a leadoff hit in the sixth, but struck out Buckeye catcher Dan Burkhart and induced a double play to end the frame.

In the Illini half of the sixth, second baseman Josh Parr (Chillicothe, Ill.) drew a leadoff walk and moved up on Bonadonna's groundout. But he was stranded there as Illinois couldn't bring him home. Haig got two quick outs in the seventh before giving up a single and a double to put runners at second and third. But he struck out left fielder Zach Hurley to end the threat and keep the Buckeye lead at 2-1.

Illinois appeared to have something brewing in the seventh as first baseman Matt Dittman (Libertyville, Ill.) knocked a two-out single up the middle and right fielder Pete Cappetta (Lisle, Ill.) singled through the right side to move Dittman to third. But a strikeout ended the inning with OSU clinging to a 2-1 advantage.

Haig started the eighth by inducing a groundout on the second pitch to Buckeye second baseman Cory Kovanda, but he hit OSU center fielder Michael Stephens and Burkhart ripped a two-run homer to left-center to increase the Buckeyes' lead to 4-1.

Illinois responded quickly, though, with Bonadonna legging out an infield hit with one out in the bottom of the eighth before being put out on McMurray's fielder's choice to Kovanda at second. Wikoff poked a single through the left side and Altobelli knocked a base hit up the middle to bring home McMurray and cut OSU's advantage to 4-2.

Junior John Anderson (Mt. Vernon, Ill.) pitched an incredible ninth inning, needing only seven pitches to retire the side with a foul-out to Altobelli and a pair of groundouts, setting up the late-game heroics.

After a line-out by Dittman to start the ninth, Cappetta drew a walk off OSU closer Jake Hale, who entered the game with 11 saves and a 0.95 ERA. DH Willie Argo (Davenport, Iowa) reached on a throwing error by Buckeye third baseman Justin Miller and was safe at second on a throwing error by Kovanda on a grounder from pinch hitter Mike Giller (Chicago, Ill.), loading the bases. Bonadonna stepped to the plate and blasted a 1-2 pitch to left-center, driving home two to tie the game at 4. And after fouling off a pitch, McMurray lined a single through the right side to plate Giller with the winning run for a 5-4 victory.

Altobelli finished 2-for-4 with a home run - his fourth dinger in the last five games - and two RBIs, increasing his team-best hitting streak to 16 games and his streak of multiple-hit games to 13. Bonadonna also finished 2-for-5 with two RBIs, while Cappetta was 1-for-2 with two walks and a run. Haig pitched a gutty eight innings, giving up four runs on eight hits with one walk and five strikeouts, but OSU's only runs came on a pair of two-run homers. Anderson earned his first win in the Orange and Blue with his perfect ninth inning.

Up Next: The Illini and the Buckeyes square off in game two of the weekend series Saturday at 3:05 p.m. with Ben Reeser taking the ball for Illinois and Ohio State right-hander Dean Wolosiansky toeing the rubber for the Scarlet and Gray.