University of Minnesota Athletics
ILLINOIS OUTLASTS #23 MINNESOTA 12-9 IN BIG TEN TOURNAMENT
5/20/1999 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Illinois' D.J. Svihlik, the 1998 Big Ten Player of the Year, got the Illini on the board first with a solo home run off of Gopher starter Brad Pautz in the first inning. This year's Big Ten Player of the Year, Robb Quinlan, topped him in the bottom of the first with a two-run blast to left field. It was Quinlan's 52nd career home run, which ties the Big Ten's all-time record. He was 3-for-4 on the day with a homer and two RBIs.
In the third, with the bases loaded, Pautz and Kevin Rudden staged an epic battle with two outs. Rudden faced 14 pitches in the at-bat, before hitting a three-run double just over the head of left fielder Scott Howard. Illinois increased the lead to 6-2 on a two-run home run by catcher Jeff Gertz.
Minnesota mounted the first of two comebacks in the fourth and fifth innings. Senior Aron Amundson hit a solo home run in the fourth and then drove in two more runs with a single in the fifth. Amundson was 3-for-5 on the day with four RBIs. He also relieved Pautz in the sixth and pitched 1.2 innings of scoreless baseball.
With their lead cut to one, the Illini struck again with three runs in the sixth off of Pautz and led 9-5. Minnesota scored four runs in the bottom of the frame to finally pull even. The highlight of the inning was a pinch-hit three run home run from sophomore Josh Holthaus.
After a scoreless seventh, junior reliever Frank Wagner was unable to keep Illinois off of the scoreboard. With two walks and a wild pitch, the Illini loaded the bases and McClure delivered with a two-run double. Illinois added an insurance in the ninth to cap off a 12-9 win.
Quinlan singled to start the ninth, but after an Amundson fly out, he was erased on a game-ending double play hit by Rick Brosseau.
Illinois starter and first-team All-Big Ten selection Jason Anderson (9-2) earned the complete victory with an amazing 156 pitches. He allowed nine runs (eight earned) on nine hits with eight strikeouts and seven walks.
Pautz, a first-team All-Big Ten pick himself, also struggled with an inconsistent strike zone and had six walks. Wagner (4-4) took the loss after allowing three runs on two hits with four walks and two strikeouts.
The Golden Gophers will play in the losers' bracket tommorow against the loser of the Michigan/Ohio State game. The first pitch is at 2 p.m. and can be heard on KYCR-1570 AM.
