Illinois clip Hawkeyes 8-3 in season opener

Woo-hoo!  This is one I would have really liked to seen in person.  The Illinois defeated Iowa in the first game of the BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge in Clearwater, Florida.

Down 2-1 in the sixth, the Illini came back to score five runs thanks in part to three Iowa fielding miscues.  Iowa never really recovered after that only scoring one run in ninth after that.

Final score:  8-3.

More details at the Fighting Illini web site.

The big offensive heroes for us were Brandon Wikoff (2 for 4, HR, 2 runs, rbi), Dom Altobelli (2 for 4, run, rbi), Craig Lutes (1 for 4, 3B, rbi) and Joe Bonadonna (2 for 4, rbi).

Phil Haig and Aaron Martin did a fantastic job on the mound for the Illini.  Both allowed no earned runs.  Haig pitched five innings for the win and struck out four.  Martin pitched four frames and struck out five and recorded a save.

Tonight, brings Notre Dame.  The Fighting Irish are already down 0-1, fresh off a 2-0 loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes Friday night.  The game is scheduled for 6:30pm CT… but you know how those things go.

In related news, if you haven’t seen it already the box scores for the Fighting Illini (and I’m assuming other Big Ten and possibly NCAA schools have been revamped,  Complete with color delineation.  Looks pretty snazzy.

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