Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Illinois *
Illini Win Game One 9-2
5/7/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 7, 2005
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Illinois scored five runs on two home runs in the fifth inning, defeating Northwestern 9-2 in game one of Saturday's doubleheader in Champaign, Ill. Junior Mark Ori hit his second home run of the series and Antonio Mule was 3-for-3 in the loss.
Like they did in game one on Friday, Illinois found the scoring column first in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader. A one-out single, stole second and third base before crossing the plate on another Illini single.
The Big Ten's leading home run hitter, Illinois' Dusty Bensko, touched Wildcat starter George Kontos (Lincolnwood, Ill./Niles West) for his 13th home run of the season in the bottom of the third inning. NU turned their league-leading 48th double play of the season prior to Bensko's 13th round-tripper of the season. He has hit a home run in each of the first two games against NU.
First baseman Mark Ori (Niles, Ill./Maine South) kept pace with Bensko, knocking his second home run of the series in the top of the fourth inning. Ori's solo shot was his third of the season and brought NU to within one at 2-1. Catcher Pat McMahon (Mundelein, Ill./Carmel) hit a one-out double to the left-centerfield wall and moved to third on Antonio Mule's (Lodi, N.J./Lodi) infield single. A double-play groundball ended the Wildcat threat.
Illinois took a commanding lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring five runs on four hits. Two Illini home runs plated all five runs.
Sophomore Dan Schwartz (New York, N.Y./Northern Valley Regional) relieved Kontos with one in the bottom of the fifth. Schwartz struck out the first hitter he faced, gave up a single and induced a fly ball to end the inning.
After a quick top of the sixth inning for the Wildcats, which included an infield single by Ori, senior Chris Davidson (Huntington Woods, Mich./Berkley) came on to pitch. Davidson gave up two runs (one earned) on one hit.
After six complete innings, Illinois led 9-1.
Right fielder Stanley Finch (Lubbock, Texas/Cooper) drove a single up the middle in the top of the seventh inning, bringing home Mule from second base. Mule doubled to lead off the inning.
The loss drops NU to 21-21 overall, 10-12 in the Big Ten.
