May 27, 2005

Box Score

CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS - An RBI single off the bat of Andy Hunter in the bottom of the 11^th inning gave Purdue University its second win of the day here on Friday (May 27) on the third day of the 2005 Big Ten Conference Baseball Tournament at Illinois Field on the campus of the University of Illinois.

With the win, the second-seeded Boilers hold off elimination for the second game in a row and advance in the consolation bracket with an overall record of 27-29 this season. Top-seeded Illinois ends its season at 33-23-1.

With a runner on third in the top of the second, Illinois' Shawn Roof ripped a single into centerfield to score Drew Davidson from first and put the Illini on the board with an early 1-0 lead. The Orange and Blue would score again in the top of the third when Chris Robinson crushed the ball off the fence in left-center to score J.R. Kyes. Robinson would wind up with a triple after flying across the bases and beating the relay in from the outfield. The junior would be stranded at third when the inning ended, keeping the score 2-0.

Purdue would score its first run of the game in the bottom of the third on a Mitch Hilligoss double that scored Dane Wolfe from second to make it a 2-1 game. Two batters later, Eric Wolfe hit a ball to deep center that hit the top of the fence and rolled across the top of the wall before falling onto the warning track. Two runs scored on what was ruled a triple for Eric Wolfe after the umpires met and ruled that the ball was not a homer. The inning ended with Wolfe stranded at third and Purdue in front 3-2. 

Illinois would make the score even again in the top of the fourth. With runners on second and third and one out, Toby Gardenhire grounded out to short which allowed Mike Rhode to score and tie the game at 3-3.

The score was still the same in the bottom of the ninth when Purdue was threatening with a runner on second and only one out. Illinois starter Jimmy Conroy was still in the game and remained in after a deep fly ball to left field was caught at the wall by Ryan Rogowski for the second out. The drive did allow pinch-runner John Phegley to tag up and reach third to put the winning run only 90 feet away. Conroy then got Andy Dahl to fly out to center on the first pitch to send the game into extra innings.

In the bottom of the 11^th Eric Wolfe led off the inning with a single to left-center. After advancing to second on a pass ball by Illini catcher Chris Robinson, John Hunter stepped to the plate a lined a single into right field. With Wolfe rounding third base and heading toward home, Trevor Huisinga went to field the ball and make a snap-throw home. However, the ball rolled past the junior and Wolfe scored the winning run without a play to win it for Purdue.

The Boilermakers will take on the loser of the Ohio State-Minnesota game which is scheduled to begin at 7:05 p.m. central time Friday evening. First pitch for Saturday's (May 28) final consolation game to decide who will play for the Big Ten tournament title is scheduled for 3:35 p.m. central time.

Big Ten Baseball

Printer-friendly format	Email this article