May 26, 2005

Box Score

CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS - After putting up 14 runs on 17 hits in a 14-7 win against Iowa in the first round of the 2005 Big Ten Conference Baseball Tournament on Wednesday (May 25), Minnesota continued to showcase its offensive firepower with an 11-8 victory over Illinois in second-round action here Thursday (May 26) at Illinois Field on the University of Illinois Campus.

The sixth seeded Gophers pounded out 18 hits on the evening to log their second win of the 2005 conference summit and improve their record to 31-27 overall. In UM's only two tournament games this season, the Gophers have scored a combined 25 runs on 35 hits and will now play Ohio State in the winners bracket at 7:05 p.m. central time on Friday (May 27) for a chance to play for the Big Ten tournament title. Illinois falls into the consolation bracket with a mark of 33-22-1 on the season and will play the winner of the Michigan and Purdue's 12:05 p.m. contest on Friday afternoon at 3:35 p.m. central time.

Head Coach John Anderson's Gophers got on the board first in the top of the first when Jake Elder knocked a long single all the way to the wall that scored David Hrncirik all the way from first to give Minnesota an early 1-0 lead. The hit was Elder's fifth of the tournament after going 4-5 in the Gophers 14-7 opening round win over Iowa. A ground-rule double by Andy Hunter set-up runners on second and third with only one out, but Minnesota was unable to score as Illinois ace Brian Bloomquist got Mike Mee to fly out to leftfield and John Arlt to ground out to second to prevent UM from making any further damage.

Minnesota would add on another run in the top of the third when Mee hit a shot to deep right-center that cleared the fence for his eighth round-tripper of the year to put UM up 2-0.

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the third inning, Illinois would tie up the game and then some. Drew Davidson lined a one-out single to score Ryan Rogowski and J.R. Kyes and advance Dusty Bensko to second to tie the game at 2-2. The next batter, Mike Rhode, punched a triple all the to the wall in centerfield to score Bensko and Davidson and give Illinois a 4-2 lead with one out and a runner on third. Shawn Roof then flied out to center which allowed Rhode to tag-up from third and score the fifth run of the inning to give Head Coach Richard "Itch" Jones squad a 5-2 lead one-third into the game.

With the score now 6-2, Minnesota had runners on first and second with two outs in the top of the fifth. Arlt hit a high fly ball to center field where four Illini fielders converged on the ball. Centerfielder Drew Davidson made a diving attempt and had the ball bounce off his glove and hit the ground. Mee and Hrncirik scored on what would be a double for Arlt to cut the Illinois lead to two at 6-4.

The Illini would get the two runs back in the bottom half of the fifth. After a Roof single to right field, Trevor Huisinga deposited the first Cole DeVries pitch he saw over the left field fence for his third homer of the season to make the score 8-4 Illinois.  

With two runners on in the top of the sixth, Taylor VanderAarde laid down a bunt toward third base that was fielded by the pitcher Bloomquist. Bloomquist's throw to first was off the mark and VaderAarde reached second on what would be ruled a single and an error. Luke MacLean scored on the play to make it 8-5 with Joe Maciej advancing to third. After a Hrncirik scored Maceij on a ground out to make it an 8-6 game, Jake Elder singled to right field to put runners on the corners with only one out. Aaron Saving then came in to relieve Bloomquist and walked Andy Hunter to load the bases. Mike Mee then punched a single into left field that scored VanderAarde to make the score 8-7. Jake Toohey entered the game for Illinois as the third pitcher of record in the inning and got Arlt to ground into a 1-2-3 double play to end the threat with the Orange and Blue still in the lead.

Minnesota would tie up the game in the top of the seventh. After a pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases, VanderAarde grounded out to first base which scored Luke MacLean to tie the game up at 8-8.

With two out and runners on second and third in the top of the ninth, David Hrncirik ripped a double to right-center off of Toohey to plate two runs and make it a 10-8 Ohio State advantage. Jake Elder would add an insurance run with his third hit of the evening to score Hrncirik and make it an 11-8 game, in the process sending many of the Illini faithful to the exits.

The Illini threatened in the bottom of the ninth after a walk to Trevor Huisinga put runners on first and second. Chase Kliment came in to pinch hit for Illinois and grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the 3:42 minute contest.

Big Ten Baseball

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