Loane on the Loose

Baseball Is Back

Posted by: Dave Loane

Monday, February 23, 2009 10:36 AM

The Illinois baseball team started the 2009 sesaosn by winning 2 out of 3 games in the Big East/Big Ten Challenge in western Florida.  The Illini beat Iowa (non confrence game) 8-3 friday evening.  Lost to Notre Dame 14-7 saturday, and topped West Virginia 17-10 sunday.   Shortstop Brandon Wikoff was named to the all tournament team.  DH Pete Cappetta was named honorable mention all tournament.  Cappetta led the team, hitting .455 on the weekend. Wikoff matched his 2008 season home run total by going deep on opening day.  The "little RBI guy" who led Illinois with 61 runs batted in last year, scored six runs on the weekend, as did out fielder Casey McMurray.  Third baseman Dominic Altobelli drove in 6 runs.

Lefty starter Phil Haig got the season going on the mound with five quality innings, giving up no earned runs, striking out four, while walking only two.  Aaron Martin got the save on opening night with 4 innings work out of the penn, registering 5 k's.  That reliefe effort might land him back in the starting rotation.  Remember, this year the Big Ten will play three game weekend series' as opposed to the years long tradition of four.

Senior Joe Bonadonna, as he has his entire career, exhibited his versitillity, moving back to the outfield.  An all Big Ten secondbaseman last season, Bonadonna played the center field spot vacated by the drafted Kyle Hudson.  Bonadonna played errorless ball, and stole two bases.  He drove in five runs.  Illini catcher Aaron Johnson had 4 RBIs.  Opposing teams don't seem anxious to run on Illinois with Johnson behind the plate.

Comments

Be the first to share your opinion!