Baseball team leaves Illinois
with two wins, two losses
By Jason Tomcsi
Sports
Editor
The Purdue baseball team was able to walk out of
Champaign, Ill. this weekend with two wins, splitting the four game
series with the Illini.
Purdue (12-15, 5-3 Big Ten) took the first two
games from Illinois (15-6, 3-5 Big Ten), 6-2 in the first and 5-2 in
the second game. But the Boilers dropped the last two of the series
5-1 in the third game and 10-7 in the last.
The Boilers were able to hit Illinois's ace pitcher
Andy Dickinson in the first game. The loss was Dickinson's first of
the season and broke his ten game winning streak at home. Dickinson's
home winning streak dated back to the 1999 season.
While Illinois's top pitcher was not able to stop
the Boilermakers, Purdue's number one thrower was bale to shut down
the Illini.
Junior Chadd Blasko pitched a complete game allowing
just two runs on four hits and striking out 10.
In the second game the Boilers won their fifth
straight Big Ten game beating Illinois 5-2.
Purdue was able to score some runs in the top of
the fourth after three scoreless innings. Catcher David Harrell doubled
home Daniel Underwood and Nick McIntyre, who both singled in the inning,
for a 2-0 lead.
Underwood started in right field for the second
game in a row after sitting out seven games. Underwood was forced to
miss the seven games due to an eye injury he suffered in the March 20
game against Indiana State.
Purdue added two more runs in the fifth inning
on Adam Fazio's home run. The round tripper was Fazio's third of the
season. The home run put the Boilers ahead 4-0.
Illinois responded in the bottom of the fifth by
scoring two runs and trimming the Boilermakers' lead to two and putting
the score at 4-2.
The Boiler were able to get another run in the
sixth to go up 5-2, but the Boilermakers got into trouble in the bottom
half of the inning.
Purdue's starting pitcher, Mitch Pruemer, was removed
after loading the bases. Freshman Brent Coudron stepped in and retired
the next three batters, thwarting the Illini's rally attempt.
Pruemer upped his record to 4-1 and Coudron acquired
his second save of the season.
The Boilermakers weren't able to keep their winning
streak going though when they dropped the second game in the doubleheader
5-1.
Illinois started the game strong with a two run
home run by Drew Davidson in the bottom of the first inning.
The Illini added a second run in the third and
the Boilers were able to answer when Fazio scored on a McIntyre sacrifice
fly.
But that was as close as the Boilermakers would
get as Illinois added one run in the fourth inning and the another in
the fifth.
The Boilers were able to get the bats working again
in the last game on Sunday, but a late rally came up short as Purdue
lost 10-7.
Purdue did not score until the third inning to
tie the score 3-3, but Illinois scored one in the bottom half of the
inning to take the lead once again, 4-3.
The Boilermakers battled back once again in the
top of the fourth when a Brad Kriner single drove Underwood in to tie
the score at four.
But the Illini exploded for five runs in the bottom
of the fifth jumping out in front 9-4.
Purdue was able to mount a small comeback scoring
three runs to bring the score to 9-7, but the Boilers were unable to
carry the momentum in the last innings of the game.
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