It was a tough game for the Illini tonight losing to Southern Illinois.
When the score was 3-2 after four innings, it looked like it might be one of those games where the teams might trade leads back and forth all game. Not so. After Christian Cummins scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the fifth, that would be all the offense we would see from either team.
Which I guess, says something about our bullpen (as well as theirs, I guess). Brian de la Torriente (above) gave up two hits to the two first batters he faced in the fifth inning but was practically perfect in the rest of his four innings of relief. Those two hits would be the only he would give up. His sixth inning seemed to take ten seconds. In reality, it was longer but not by much as he threw just five pitches. Wes Braun came in to pitch a scoreless ninth.
The offense was a tad ineffective tonight. Casey McMurray did come through for us. He banged out two hits including the one you see above that scored Josh Parr in the third inning.
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Christian Cummins makes the play at second
The defense was hit and miss tonight. Three errors in the game plus fans might remember Aaron Johnson’s missed foul ball behind home plate. That said, don’t forget this point. Aaron picked off two runners out at third base. One would have ultimately scored as a base hit followed that play.
It was long unexciting game that just didn’t go our way. Kudos to the pitchers, though. Starter Matt Milroy, de la Torriente and Braun did their part to keep us in it.
The rest of the photos are in the photo gallery.
Next up
Assuming the weather cooperates, Butler is coming to town tomorrow. Game time is 6:05pm.