April 22, 2007
IOWA CITY – The University of Iowa baseball team topped the Illinois Fighting Illini in a wild game, 17-12, Sunday at Banks Field. Iowa ups its record to 18-15 (7-8), while Illinois falls to 17-17 (7-7).
Jason White continued his torrid streak, hitting for the cycle by going 4-of-6 with a single, double triple and home run. He drove in four runs and scored four.
Illinois broke the scoreboard in the first inning with a home run off the bat of catcher Lars Davis, but the Hawkeyes responded with a tally in the bottom of the inning. White led off the game with a bunt single, moved to second on a single from Dusty Napoleon, stole third and came home on a wild pitch.
The Fighting Illini added another in the top of the second, but the Hawkeyes countered with a five-spot in the bottom of the frame. Napoleon drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game, then Caleb Curry ripped a two-run double to put the Hawkeyes in the lead. Curry came home on a wild pitch, and Matt Wooldrik ended the scoring with an RBI single to center.
Illinois got a pair back off Hawkeye starter Nick Erdman, using an RBI triple from Mike Rohde and a sacrifice fly from Daniel Webb.
The Hawkeyes added another five in the bottom of the third to take a 11-4 lead. Justin Toole had an RBI double, followed by a two-run triple from White – who eventually scored on a wild pitch. Napoleon then brought home a run with an RBI single.
The Fighting Illini scored two in the fourth, then took advantage of the Hawkeye bullpen in the fifth, scoring six runs on just two hits for a 12-11 advantage. Iowa relievers issued three walks and three hit batsmen in the first seven Illinois plate appearances.
T.J. Cataldo put Iowa back in the lead with a two-run double in the bottom of the fifth. The Hawkeyes upped their advantage to 17-12 in the seventh, getting an RBI single from Kevin Hoef, a run-scoring triple from Toole and White’s cycle-completing two-run home run.
Jason Belk picked up his first win, throwing two shutout innings of relief. Mike Jacobs and Mike Schurz both blanked the Illini to close out the game.
The Hawkeyes return to action Tuesday when they host Illinois State at 6 p.m.
GAME SUMMARYIllinois 112 260 000 -- 12 14 1Iowa 155 020 40x -- 17 18 0
WP - Jason Belk (1-0)LP - Brian Long (0-3)="http:>