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No. 15 Illinois 3, Northwestern 1 (13) Illinois Field · Champaign, Ill. Box Score (PDF) | Box Score (HTML) |
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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Northwestern starter Matt Portland turned in a terrific effort on the mound Friday night at Illinois Field, but the 15th-ranked Fighting Illini pushed across two runs in the top of the 13th inning to secure a 3-1 victory in the series opener.
Portland toed the rubber for a career-high nine innings for the Wildcats. He scattered only six hits and surrendered one run in the third inning while striking out five. The lefty also pitched around five walks with the aid of four inning-ending double plays during his eighth start of the spring.
Northwestern was the home team for the game that was moved from Evanston's Rocky Miller Park and the Illini threatened right away in the top of the first. The visiting team loaded the bases with just one out, but starting pitcher Matt Portland induced a double-play ball to third baseman Connor Lind that the freshman handled to finish the frame.
While the offense was slow to get rolling against Illinois starter Kevin Duchene, the Wildcats got another twin-killing to close the top of the second. A one-out walk was erased when Ryne Roper chopped into a 6-4-3, inning-ending, double play.
Illinois manufactured its first run in the top of the third inning. Will Krug drew a leadoff walk and he moved to second base on a groundout off the bat of Adam Walton. After Portland fanned the next hitter, Krug stole third base and eventually scored the first run of the evening on what was essentially swinging bunt by Reid Roper.
Northwestern was able to push across the equalizer in the bottom of the fourth inning. With two away, catcher Scott Heelan launched his 13th double of the season and he scored when the next batter, Reid Hunter, reached safely on an error by Walton. Matt Hopfner soon sent a single into left field, but Hunter was cut down at the plate trying to score the go-ahead run to end the inning.
NU's Joe Hoscheit hustled his way to a two-bagger of his own off Duchene to start the the bottom of the fifth inning. Second baseman Antonio Freschet sacrificed himself to send Hoscheit to third, but the 'Cats were unable to get Hoscheit home. Duchene fanned Lind and Grant Peikert was called out on a bang-bang play at first following a safety-squeeze bunt.
Fast forward to the eighth inning when Nagle reached safely and advanced to second base on an error by Northwestern to open the top of the frame. After a meeting at the mound, Reid Roper bunted and Portland threw to third to try to get Nagle, but the effort was late and the Illini had runners on the corners with no outs. NU's southpaw fanned Pat McInerney for the first out and he chipped in again by getting the Illini to hit into their fourth double play of the night. First baseman Zach Jones fielded the sharp grounder and he fired to Peikert at the second-base bag for the second out. Peikert got it back to Portland a the bag just in time to end the inning and leave the score tied at one.
Northwestern's Freschet laced a double the opposite way to right field to begin the bottom of the eighth, but he was cut down at third base in the next sequence when Illinois catcher Jason Goldstein threw there on a bunt play to get the lead runner in another bang-bang play.
The literal home team threatened in the top of the ninth, but Portland notched his fourth and fifth strikeouts of the night in the stanza to send the Illini down empty-handed.
Jones started the bottom of the ninth in promising fashion with an infield single and a headfirst slide to set the stage for Heelan. The fifth-year senior delivered with a base hit to left field that put Jones in scoring position. Jones was forced out a third base when Hunter reached on a fielder's choice. Like Portland, Duchene was able to reach bag and register a pair of punch-outs to end the frame and send the game into extra innings still tied at 1-1.
Jake Stolley relieved Portland with a perfect 10th inning to turn it back over to the Northwestern offense. Peikert slid headfirst ahead of a tag at second base for a two-out double, but Kyle Ruchim popped out to end the late threat. Stolley pitched around a one-out single in the top of the 11th, but Cody Sedlock countered with his second straight scoreless inning on the mound for the Illini.
McInerney found the shortest part of the ballpark and he poked out a solo home run that barely got out and barely stayed fair to lead off the top of the 13th inning. Illinois added a second unearned insurance run with the help of the third Northwestern error before Stolley got Krug to fly out to center field to end the inning.
The Wildcats were unable to dent the scoreboard in the bottom of the 13th inning against hard-throwing closer Tyler Jay and the Illini took the opener, 3-1.
Northwestern dropped to 2-2 in extra-inning games Friday and 5-10 in games decided by one or two runs.
The three-game series continues at Illinois Field on Saturday with a 3 p.m. first pitch. Right-handers Joe Schindler (NU) and Drasen Johnson (ILL) will get the nod on the mound to start the game for their respective teams.
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