Illinois @ IU, Game 3: IU loses the game and the series, 15-8...

[ptrich]

It's LHP Ryan Kraft on the mound for IU with an ERA of 6.75 in 12.0 IP and a WHIP of 2.25. Tibbitts is behind the plate with Brenczewski at 1st and Colopy in RF. Mitchell is the DH.

The Illini will have RHP Jake Swartz on the mound with an ERA of 4.29 in 21.0 IP and a WHIP of 1.29.

It's 46 degrees with clear skies. The wind is blowing somewhat out to LF right now.

1st inning:

T1st:

The leadoff hitter singled to start the game. A bad throw by Kraft on a pickoff attempt moved the runner to 2nd and no outs.

A groundout moved the runner to 3rd with one out. Another single scored the runner from 3rd, and there was a runner on 1st with one out.

Kraft was off to a horrible start after giving up a 2-run homer to make it 3-0.

Kraft got a flyout for two outs and then gave up a walk on a 3-1 count and Kraft was pulled after failing to get out of the 1st inning.

IU brought in RHP Aydan Decker-Petty with an ERA of 7.36 in 7.1 IP and a WHIP of 1.64.

D-P gave up a double to the first batter he saw to make it 4-0. A flyout retired the side with IU already in a hole to start the game.

B1st:

Mathison grounded out to lead off. Cerny singled with one out.

Taylor fouled out with Cerny still at 1st and two outs. Tibbitts Kd to end the inning.

End of 1st: Illini 4 IU 0

 

[ptrich]

2nd inning:

T2nd:

D-P faced the 9 thru 2 batters. D-P got the first two batters on a groundouts. D-P then gave up a two-out single. Another groundout retired the side.

B2nd:

It was the 5 thru 7 hitters up for IU with Mitchell leading off. Mitchell Kd looking for the first out.

Brenczewski singled, but Oliver grounded out to end the inning.

End of 2nd: Illini 4 IU 0

 

[82IU]

Boy we sure have helped Illinois out of their hitting slump!
82

 

[ptrich]

3rd inning:

T3rd:

D-P was facing the middle of the order and the leadoff hitter walked on a 3-1 count.

D-P then gave up a double to put runners on 2nd and 3rd and no outs.

D-P then gave up a three-run homer to a .175 hitter to put the lead for the Illini at 7-0 and that was it for D-P as failed to record an out in the 3rd.

LHP Ryan Rushing replaced D-P and he had an ERA of 5.79 in 4.2 IP and a WHIP of 1.93.

Rushing gave up a single to the first batter he saw. Rushing then gave up an RBI double with still no outs and the score at 8-0.

A groundout moved the runner to 3rd with one out.

We were still in the 3rd inning and every batter in the Illini batting order have one hit except for the No. 9 hitter.

We are at the top of the order and another single scored a run with one out and a runner at 1st.

A walk put runners on 1st and 2nd and one out and Mercer goes to bullpen again and brought in RHP Jack Moffitt with an ERA of 3.86 in 11.2 IP and a WHIP of 1.20.

Moffitt gave up a single to the first batter he saw and the bases are loaded with one out.



A WP scored the runner from 3rd and runners at 2nd and 3rd and on out and the score at 10-0.

Another single scored two runs to make it 12-0 and still one out and a runner at 1st. All 12 runs scored so far have been earned.

Another WP moved the runner to 2nd base and still one out. Moffitt got a K for the 2nd out it was the first K of the game for IU pitching.

A K retired the side in what was a nightmare inning for IU pitching.

B3rd:

It was the 9 thru 2 hitters up and the first two batters were retired before Cerny reached on an infield hit.

Taylor Kd to end the inning:

End of 3rd: Illini 12 IU 0

 

[82IU]

Will they call the 10 run rule after 5 innings? Probably should just pull the plug. Have to wonder if dissension is setting in. Sad sad deal!
82

 

[ptrich]

4th inning:

T4th:

Moffitt faced the bottom of the order and he got the leadoff hitter on a groundout. Moffitt then put a man on with a full count walk.

Tibbitts gunned down the runner trying to steal 2nd and there were two outs. Moffitt then got a K to retire the side.

B4th:

It's the middle of the order up with Tibbitts leading off. Tibbitts grounded out for the first out. Mitchell walked on a full count. Pyne fouled out to 1B. Brenczewski flied out to end the inning.

No only was IU's pitching horrible, but we were doing absolutely nothing at the plate, and we have three singles through 4 innings.

End of 4th: Illini 12 IU 0

 

[ptrich]

5th inning:

T5th:

IU brought in RHP Drew Buhr with an ERA of 5.87 in 7.2 IP and a WHIP of 2.09.

Buhr faced the top of the order and he got the first two batters on a K and a groundout, but then gave up a two-out double.

Buhr then gave up a walk on a 3-1 count to put two runners on. A FC retired the side.

B5th:

It's the 8 thru 1 hitters up for IU with Oliver leading off.

Oliver walked to put a runner on. Colopy reached on a FC with Oliver out at 2nd. Mathison Kd and Cerny flied out to end the inning.

End of 5th: Illini 12 IU 0

 

[ptrich]

6th inning:

T6th:

Mercer brought in RHP Jacob Vogel with an ERA of 0.00 in 5.0 IP and a WHIP of 0.75 and he faced the bottom of the order.

Vogel got the leadoff batter on a K. He then gave up a walk on a full count. A lineout and FC retired the side.

B6th:

Illinois went to the bullpen and brought in RHP Logan Tabeling with an ERA of 7.56 in 16.2 IP and a WHIP of 1.50

It was the 3 thru 5 hitters up for IU and Taylor walked on a full count. Tibbitts walked on a 3-1 count to put runners on 1st and 2nd and no outs.

Mitchell grounded out with the runners taking 2nd and 3rd and one out. Pyne fouled out to the catcher for the 2nd out.

Brenczewski reached on an infield hit to score Taylor and put runners on the corners and two outs. Oliver lined out to end the inning.

End of 6th: Illini 12 IU 1

 

[ptrich]

7th inning:

T7th:

LHP Grant Holderfield came in with an ERA of 15.12 in 8.1 IP and a WHIP of 2.40.

Holderfield gave up a single to start the inning. He then got a K and a flyout for two outs.

A passed ball moved the runner to 2nd with two outs.

Holderfield then gave up back-to-back walks to load the bases with two outs.

Holderfield then hit a batter to bring in a run with the bases still loaded with two outs.

A flyout retired the side.

B7th:

It was the 9 thru 2 hitters up and Colopy walked to lead off.

Wiggins came in to pinch hit for Mathison and he flied out for the first out.

Cerny walked to put two on. Taylor grounded out for the 2nd out. Tibbitts was then hit by a pitch to load the bases.

The Illini went to their bullpen with Mitchell up.

Mitchell singled to score two runs and Pyne reached on a FC to end the inning.

End of 7th: Illini 13 IU 3

 

[ptrich]

8th inning:

T8th:

Holderfield was back out there to face the 8 thru 1 hitters and he gave up back-to-back singles to open the inning. With the No. 9 hitter getting a hit, all of Illinois' starters have now got at least one hit in the game.

Holderfield was replaced by RHP Eli Shaw with an ERA of 18.00 in 3.0 IP and a WHIP of 2.33.

Shaw got a K and a flyout for two outs, but then gave up a single to score a run. Shaw then walked a batter on four pitches to load the bases with two outs. A flyout retired the side.

B8th:

TJ Schuyler who replaced Tibbitts behind the plate, Kd to lead off.

Oliver and Colopy both doubled to score a run. Wiggins walked.

Cerny singled to score Colopy.

Taylor grounded out for the 2nd out with Wiggins taking 3rd and Cerny to 2nd.

Tibbitts singled to score Wiggins.

Mitchell doubled to score both Cerny and Tibbitts.

Pyne grounded out to end the inning.

End of 8th: Illini 14 IU 8

 

[82IU]

You have to go back to the 7th inning of the Belmont finale to see an IU home run. Only 1 HR in the last 5 games. Even their long ball game is going south. Looks like it is definitely going to be a long season. Hopefully they can get out of this funk and turn the season around. Ryan Kraft and Seti Manasse are head scratcher. Seems like Kraft got hurt late last season but not sure. I hate to see this.
Go Hoosiers and get this thing turned around!!
82

 

[ptrich]

9th inning:

T9th:

RHP Seti Manase came in and immediately gave up a leadoff homer to Moerman, who was hitting .175 coming into the game, and it was his 2nd homer of the game and he had 5 RBIs on the game.

Manase then got a flyout for the first out, but then gave up back-to-back singles and Mercer brought in LHP Brandon Keyster who got the last two outs to retire the side.

B9th:

IU which was ready to hit the showers, went down in order to include two Ks and this team is limping into the conference season.

Final: Illinois 15 IU 8

 

[ptrich]

You have to go back to the 7th inning of the Belmont finale to see an IU home run. Only 1 HR in the last 5 games. Even their long ball game is going south. Looks like it is definitely going to be a long season. Hopefully they can get out of this funk and turn the season around. Ryan Kraft and Seti Manasse are head scratcher. Seems like Kraft got hurt late last season but not sure. I hate to see this.
Go Hoosiers and get this thing turned around!!
82

All three phases of the game in hitting, pitching, and fielding are subpar right now. For the most part, we can't seem to get anything going at the plate of late until late in the game and we have usually already dug ourselves a hole before we string anything together. Pitchers with pretty pedestrian numbers coming into our games of late, have pretty much handcuffed our hitters and the long ball has just about disappeared from our arsenal which looks pretty weak right now. If it wasn't for Foley's great day on the mound yesterday, the Illini would have probably swept us this weekend and they were a weak hitting team coming in with a team average of just .243. A .175 hitter today had two homers and five RBIs for the Illini.

 

[Bucket Getter]

How the hell does everything go to crap at the same time? There’s definitely something going on with this team. Way too much talent to suck this bad. Is the poor pitching causing too much pressure on the hitters? I can’t even understand the pathetic fielding. There’s no way Cerny can be so bad in the field. He was very good at 2nd last year and was a natural SS. It’s a true head scratcher.

 

[ptrich]

Illinois came into this series with a losing record and they left the series still having a losing record, but feeling much better about where their team is at this point. Meanwhile, our team has to have completely lost confidence in where this season is heading and right now it appears we have one starting pitcher that can win games for us and the rest of the staff is a crap shoot as to how they will pitch in games.

We have five straight games coming up with four of the games at home and the other in Indy. Middle Tenn St. has a losing record and an RPI of 235 while Butler has a losing record and an RPI of 196. Ordinarily, this is a five-game stretch we would expect to sweep, but the way our total package has been playing, who knows how that stretch will come out. We don't have to worry about how those teams will affect our RPI since we have already damaged that ourselves with our play.

Right now, the only way we are going to make the Field of 64 is to win the conference tournament and we may not make the cutoff for that. IU is a Q3 team right now so beating us right now doesn't impact our opponents' RPI much.

Coming out of that stretch, we have a home game with Indiana State and then we go on the road for three games at Maryland. Are we feeling real comfy about that stretch?

It took us six innings to just put one run on the board today, while we were buried during that period 12-0 going into the 6th. Kraft kind of reminds me of Bothwell last season where Bothwell was awful for much of the season and then came around to pitch pretty well going into the postseason. Kraft may not see a postseason to come around in if we continue to play like we have.

Mitchell had 4 RBIs today and that would normally be a really good game, but they came late in the game when the game was pretty much already decided. We have had just one homer in what seems like forever and five of our eight hits today came in innings 1 through 7 and they were all singles until we got in the 8th and hit three doubles which cut into the deficit, but the Illini were never threatened because of their huge lead.