Boy, it sure is fun when the Illini win!
In Illini Nation, Craig Lutes is the hero of the day. Yes, he’s in that mob of Illinois players you see in the above photo. Not only is he the one who hit the walk-off homerun against the Northwestern Wildcats today to win 4-3 but he’s bringing a bit of hope to the beleaguered Illini baseball team.
With one out in the ninth and the score tied 3-3, Lutes cracked a homer to right field. It was his second of the year.
Pardon me, while I indulge you with a few Lutes photos from today:
Lutes readies himself to go into right field early in the game
With a smile on his face, Craig Lutes rounds the bases after hitting his walk-off homer
Lutes gets interviewed by the Big Ten Network after the game…
… then soon afterward gets doused by shaving cream by his teammates.
Dad John Lutes got his share of congrats, too
Craig Lutes wasn’t the only hero for today. Overshadowed in the headlines of the walk-off was the fantastic performance of starter Kevin Johnson. When Kevin is on, boy, is he on! He spread out nine hits over eight innings and only allowed three runs to a team that scored eleven last night. The only sin was that he didn’t get the win. Not that Bryan Roberts, who is usually the save man, doesn’t deserve it. He pitched a perfect ninth for the ‘W’.
A couple other performances of note…
Key rbi for Cappetta today
Recently, Pete Cappetta has been coming in late innings to play third base, something new. Tonight, he got a start there, giving freshman Brandon Hohl a break. Pete responded with a key hit in the 5th inning which scored Mike Giller.
Casey McMurray continues to produce as he banged out two hits.
So thank you Craig Lutes and company. The phrase I heard over and over from the parents and other fans after the game was “we really needed this”. That is so true. Watching the team congregate on home plate and mingling after the game, I get the sense that there is an air of winning now.
Now let’s win Sunday’s game!!
Check out the rest of my photos at the photo gallery.
Giving credit where credit is due
Props to two Northwestern Wildcats…. CF Arby Fields and starting pitcher Eric Jokisch. Fields, who had two homeruns last night, continued his attack today with a 3 for 4 performance including a homerun. Fields is the Wildcat leadoff man. Note to the Northwestern coaching staff: you might want to move him down a bit.
The eighth inning notwithstanding, Wildcat starter Eric Jokisch pitched a heck of a game. For a while there, it looked like the two runs that the Wildcats were able to produce would be enough to win the game. Jokisch comes with hype but no doubt, he lives up to it.
Altos bring good luck??
Thumbs up from Papa Alto for a win
I was happy to see my friends Mike and Kathy Altobelli at the game today. The Altobellis are the parents of former 3B Dominic Altobelli. Dom graduated last year and was drafted by the Colorado Rockies.
It was good to see Mike. I really got to know Mike last year during Dom’s senior year and he really made coming to Illini baseball game that much more fun.
Mike sent me a photo of Dom, by the way. Here he is in a Colorado Rockies uni:
Mike tells me that Dom is playing in extended spring training right now and is still loving the game of baseball (of course).
Just for kicks
Finally, I’m posting this photo for my friend, Robin who watched me get my timing right as the gum-chewing ump was blowing a bubble. I finally got it.
And please, no hate mail from umpires. I have the utmost respect for the men in blue who work tirelessly and get little accolades from the fans. If they get any attention at all, it’s of the negative kind.
But I do like the photo.