IU @ Illinois, Game 2: IU rebounds to win Game 2, 12-3...

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It will be RHP Ben Grable on the mound against the Illini's best starting pitcher from a statistical standpoint.

Grable has an ERA of 4.23 and a WHIP of 1.48 in 27.2 IP with Schuyler behind the plate. He has 27 Ks to 12 BBs and an OBA of .269.

The batting order is Taylor, Dickerson, Hanley, Cerny, Malamazian, Moore, Koskie, Denny (DH), and Schuyler.

The Illini will counter with RHP Ben Plumley who has an ERA of 4.99 and a WHIP of 1.46 in 39.2 IP. He has 36 Ks to 16 BBs with an OBA of .258.

As I post this, it's 60 degrees and sunny with minimal wind out of the W at 7 mph and almost no gusts. Maybe the warmer weather will heat up IU's bats after not being able to hit almost anything last night in colder weather.

T1st:

Good start for IU with Taylor walking on a full count.

Dickerson reached on a FC with Taylor out at 2nd for the first out.

Hanley, who Kd four times last night, Kd again for the 2nd out.

Cerny grounded out to retire the side.

B1st:

A good start for Grable as he put them down in order to include two Ks.

End of 1st: IU 0 Illini 0

 

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T2nd:

It's the 5 thru 7 hitters up with Malamazian leading off. For the 2nd straight inning, a batter reached on a leadoff walk as Malamazian reached on a full count walk.

Will Moore reached on a four pitch walk and IU has runners at 1st and 2nd and no outs.

Koskie singled to load the bases with no outs.

Denny was hit by a pitch to drive in Malamazian with the bases still loaded and no outs.

Schuyler grounded out to the pitcher and they forced Moore at home for the first out.

Taylor singled to drive in Koskie and Denny to make it 3-0 IU. There were runners at 1st and 2nd with one out and Dickerson at the plate.

A WP moved the runners to 2nd and 3rd.

A deep fly by Dickerson was misplayed by the outfielder for an RBI-double for Dickeson with Schuyler scoring to make it 4-0.

Hanley singled to score Taylor to make it 5-0. There were runners on the corners with one out.

Cerny Kd swinging for the second out with runners still on the corners.

Malamazian flied out and IU missed out on a big chance of getting the sixth run.

B2nd:

Grable faced the middle of the order. The double by Dickerson was changed to a fielding error in LF.

Grable got back-to-back groundouts for two outs.

Grable worked a full count on the Illini's top homerun hitter and he hit a solo homer to put the Illini on the board. A groundout ended the inning.

End of 2nd: IU 5 Illini 1

 

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T3rd:

Will Moore led off for IU and he grounded out as well as Koskie. Denny singled to put a runner on with two outs.

Schuyler Kd looking to retire the side.

B3rd:

Grable faced the 8 thru 1 hitters and he Kd the leadoff hitter. He got a groundout for the second out. With the top of the order up, a single put a runner on with two outs. A WP moved the runner to 2nd.

A K ended the inning.

End of 3rd: IU 5 Illini 1

 

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T4th:

It's the top of the order up for IU with Taylor at the plate. Taylor, Dickerson, and Hanley all grounded out in a quick inning for IU.

B4th:

Grable faced the 3rd thru 5 hitters. This game is starting to get that feel of IU scoring early and then disappearing in later innings. Let's hope the pitching continues to hold up.

Grable got the leadoff hitter on a flyout. A single put a runner on with one out. A groundout sent the runner to 2nd and two outs, and the Illini have the earlier homerun hitter at the plate.

A single scored a run and both Illini runs have come with two outs. The batter attempted to take 2nd and was thrown out with the Illini challenging the call. The call was overturned and the runner ended up at 2nd.

Mercer decided to go to the bullpen to bring in RHP Cole Gilley with an ERA of 3.22 and a WHIP of 0.91 in 36.1 IP.

A groundout ending the inning.

End of 4th: IU 5 Illini 2

 

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T5th:

Cerny led off and flied out. Malamazian was hit by a pitch to put a runner on and that's about all of the offense we have had as the innings go deeper into the game.

Will Moore was also hit by a pitch to put runners at 1st and 2nd with one out and Koskie up.

A standup two-run double by Koskie made it 7-2 IU with Koskie in scoring position and one out.

That chased the Illini starter and they brought in RHP Ryan Daly with an ERA of 11.85 in 13.2 IP. and he faced Denny.

Denny just missed on a homer with the ball hitting the top of the wall and he doubled to drive in Koskie.

Stadler, who came in for Schuyler, was hit by a pitch to put runners at 1st and 2nd with one out, and that was it for Daly as the Illini went to the bullpen again and brought in LHP Nolan Girard with an ERA of 1.29 in 7.0 IP with the top of the order up in Taylor.

Taylor popped up in the infield for the 2nd out.

Dickerson singled to score Denny to make it 9-2 IU with runners now at the corners and two outs.

Hanley flied out to retire the side.

B5th:

Gilley faced the 8 thru 1 hitters with a nice 7-run lead and he got the leadoff hitter on a flyout. He then got the next batter on an infield foul out for two outs. Another flyout ended the inning as Gilley breezed through the inning by putting them down in order.

End of 5th: IU 9 Illini 2

 

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T6th:

It was the middle of the order up with Cerny leading off and he grounded out. Malamazian followed with another groundout on an attempted bunt.

Moore was hit by a pitch to put a runner on with two outs.

Moore advanced to 2nd on a WP, but Koskie flied out to retire the side.

B6th:

Gilley faced the 2 thru 4 hitters. Gilley walked the leadoff hitter on a full count.

A DP ball erased the runner with two outs and no one on with the power hitters coming up for the Illini.

Gilley ended the inning with a K.

End of 6th: IU 9 Illini 2

 

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T7th:

It was the 8 thru 1 hitters up with Denny leading off and Denny homered to LF to make it 10-2 IU.

Stadler walked on a full count which brought up the top of the order and no outs.

The Illini went to the bullpen and brought in RHP Jake Swartz with an ERA of 7.94 in 11.1 IP to pitch to Taylor.

Taylor reached on a FC with Stadler out at 2nd.

Taylor advanced into scoring position on a WP.

Dickerson fouled out to the catcher for the 2nd out. Taylor advanced to 3rd on another WP, but Hanley grounded out to retire the side.

B7th:

It's stretch time and Gilley faced the 5 thru 7 hitters. Gilley got the first two batters on a groundout and flyout. He then got a K to put them down in order quickly.

End of 7th: IU 10 Illini 2

 

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T8th:

It was the middle of the order up with Cerny leading off and he popped up in the infield.

Malamazian walked on a 3-1 count to put a runner on with one out.

Moore walked on four pitches to put runners at 1st and 2nd and one out.

Koskie doubled to score Malamazian with runners at 2nd and 3rd and one out.

I haven't heard if the run-rule is in effect for this game, but If IU drives in Moore, this game could end at the bottom of this inning.

The Illini went to the bullpen and brought in LHP Evan Clark with an ERA of 10.61 in 9.1 IP.

Denny grounded out with the runners holding and two outs. A flyout ensured this game would go to the 9th.

B8th:

Gilley faced the 8 thru 1 hitters and he put them down in order to include two Ks.

End of 8th: IU 11 Illini 2

 

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T9th:

It was the top of the order up with Taylor at the plate and he singled to lead off. Dickerson flied out for the first out. Hanley walked on a 3-1 count to put runners at 1st and 2nd and one out.

Oliver came in to pinch hit for Cerny and he singled to drive in Taylor to make it 12-2 IU.

There were runners at 1st and 2nd and one out and Malamazian at the plate.

Malamazian hit into a DP to retire the side.

B9th:

Gilley was back out there to close it out and he faced the 2 thru 4 hitters and he Kd the first two batters.

He then gave up a solo homer to make it 12-3 with two outs. A single put a runner on and then another single put runners at 1st and 2nd and two outs, and Gilley was having trouble getting that elusive third out.

He then loaded the bases with a four pitch walk. A K finally ended the game with one run given up in the inning.

Final: IU 12 Illini 3

 

[ptrich]

The day game was much warmer than last night's game and that seemed to warm IU's bats up. IU got good to great pitching for the 2nd straight game of this series, with Seebold probably on the mound tomorrow in the rubber game.

IU outhit the Illini 11 to 7 with three of the Illini hits coming in the 9th inning with the game pretty much decided by then. IU had three multi-hit batters. IU Kd just three times in the game and they were hit five times.

Denny - 3 for 4 with a double and homer and 3 RBIs.

Koskie - 3 for 5 with two doubles and 3 RBIs.

Taylor - 2 for 5 with 2 RBIs.

Dickerson had a two-run single and Hanley and Oliver both drove in a run each.

IU's pitching was pretty good for the 2nd straight game and they would have won the series opener if it wasn't for the bats going cold.

Grable - 3.2 IP with 4 hits to include a homer and 2 earned runs. He also had a WP with the rest of the slate clean.

Gilley - 5.1 IP with 3 hits which all came with two outs in the 9th and it included a solo homer which was the only earned run he gave up. He had 7 Ks to 2 BBs, and the rest of his slate was clean.

For the 2nd straight game of the series, IU had no errors in the game, while the Illini had one error.

 

[ptrich]

I thought I would add that IU is currently tied for 5th place with USC and Penn St. going into the Sunday game. With games still going on today, the RPI continues to move back and forth, but we are at an RPI of 71 as I post this. Illinois' RPI is at 108.

 

[Orford]

This was a good game was nice to see Jasen Oliver get in with a hit as well