Game 10: #1 Illinois 2-0 over #5 Michigan State (Elimination Game)

[saluno22]

First Pitch: 7:32pm

#1 ILLINOIS (46-7-1)
(R) SS Walton .303
(L) LF Nagle .333
(L) 2B Re. Roper .309
(R) C Goldstein .301
(L) RF Fletcher .332
(R) DH McInerney .311
(S) 1B Kerian .369
(R) CF Krug .211
(R) 3B Ry. Roper .250
RHP Kravetz (4-0, 3.76 ERA, 20 app, 2 starts, 0 saves, 67 IP, 40K/12BB, .264 OBA)

#5 MICHIGAN STATE (34-22)
(L) LF Gibson .300
(L) 1B Krill .353
(R) 3B Weist .347
(R) DH B. Salter .273
(R) SS Richardson .294
(S) RF Hughes .276
(R) C Roskelly .276
(L) CF Cheky .319
(L) 2B Durkin .290
LHP Misiewicz (5-3, 3.95 ERA, 17 app, 7 starts, 0 saves 66 IP, 56K/26BB, .207 OBA)

Clear skies, comfortable temps, flags gently blowing in from RF.

Winner advances to face #3 Michigan (35-23) at 1pm tomorrow (BTN).
Loser is eliminated.

 

[saluno22]

Top 1: Illinois
LHP Misiewicz for MSU

(R) SS Walton 6-3. 1 out.
(L) LF Nagle K looking. 2 out.
(L) 2B Re. Roper F-7 left-center to end the top half.

0-0
Misiewicz: 8 pitches (3/5).

 

[saluno22]

Bot 1: MSU
RHP Kravetz for Illinois

(L) LF Gibson 1-3 bunt attempt down 1B line. 1 out.
(L) 1B Krill F-8 near warning track in left-center. 2 out.
(R) 3B Weist HBP.
(R) DH B. Salter P-4 in shallow RF to end the inning.

0-0
Kravetz: 10 pitches (4/6).

 

[saluno22]

Top 2: Illinois
LHP Misiewicz for MSU

(R) C Goldstein walks.
(L) RF Fletcher 4-pitch walk, Goldstein to 2nd.
<Misiewicz struggling to find the zone against last two batters: 9 pitches, just 1 strike.>
-MSU coach visits mound at 1-0 in McInerney AB.
-LF Gibson moves to RF. RF Hughes moves to LF.
(R) DH McInerney 5-3 double play, 3B steps on bag to force out Goldstein then throws to 1st, Fletcher to 2nd. 2 out.
(S-R) 1B Kerian P-3 to end the top half.

0-0
Misiewicz: 24 total pitches (15/9). Struggled early but escaped unscathed.

 

[saluno22]

Bot 2: MSU
RHP Kravetz for Illinois

(R) SS Richardson single drops down RF line.
(S-L) LF Hughes bunt single beats throw from P to 1B, Richardson to 2nd.
(R) C Roskelly reaches on FC 1-5, Richardson forced out, Hughes to 2nd. 1 out.
(L) CF Cheky 3 unassisted, Hughes to 3rd, Roskelly to 2nd. 2 out.
(L) 2B Durkin K looking to end the inning.

0-0
Kravetz: 20 total pitches (6/14).

 

[saluno22]

Top 3: Illinois
LHP Misiewicz for MSU
-LF Hughes back to RF. RF Gibson back to LF.

(R) CF Krug single lined over 1B down RF line.
-Krug caught stealing 2-4. 1 out.
(R) 3B Ry. Roper K looking. 2 out.
(R) SS Walton 4-pitch walk.
(L) LF Nagle reaches on E-6 fielding error, Walton to 3rd.
-Nagle steals 2nd.
(L) 2B Re. Roper walks to load the bases.
*** (R) C Goldstein singles up the middle past SS, Walton scores, Nagle scores, Re. Roper to 3rd. 2-0 Illinois.
(L) RF Fletcher walks to load the bases, Goldstein to 2nd.
PITCHING CHANGE: RHP Borkovich (3-0, 3.11 ERA, 29 app, 0 starts, 0 saves, 46.1 IP, 36K/12BB, .196 OBA)
-Misiewicz exits: 2.2 IP, 2H, 2R, 0ER, 5BB, 2K, 58 pitches (31/27), responsible for all three baserunners.
-Gibson and Hughes swap again: RF Gibson, LF Hughes.
(R) DH McInerney 1-3 to end the inning.

2-0 Illinois
All the action happened with 2 outs. That error by SS was a killer. Felt familiar.
Borkovich: 3 pitches (0/3).
Wind is calm.

 

[saluno22]

Bot 3: MSU
RHP Kravetz for Illinois

(L) LF Gibson F-7 down LF line. 1 out.
(L) 1B Krill single lined to RF.
(R) 3B Weist 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.

2-0 Illinois
Kravetz: 31 total pitches (9/22).

 

[saluno22]

Top 4: Illinois
RHP Borkovich for MSU
-LF Hughes back to RF. RF Gibson back to LF.

(S-L) 1B Kerian L-9. 1 out.
(R) CF Krug reaches on E-5 throwing error, advances to 2nd.
(R) 3B Ry. Roper walks. Runners on 1st and 2nd.
(R) SS Walton 6-3. 2 out.
(L) LF Nagle 6-3 to end the top half.

2-0 Illinois
Borkovich: 17 total pitches (5/12).

 

[saluno22]

Bot 4: MSU
RHP Kravetz for Illinois

(R) DH B. Salter 5-3. 1 out.
(R) SS Richardson 1-3. 2 out.
(S-L) RF Hughes 4-3 to end the inning.

2-0 Illinois
Kravetz: 38 total pitches (11/27). Efficient inning: 7 pitches (2/5).

 

[saluno22]

Top 5: Illinois
RHP Borkovich for MSU

(L) 2B Re. Roper walks.
(R) C Goldstein reaches on FC 5-4. 1 out.
(L) RF Fletcher K swinging. 2 out.
(R) DH McInerney 5-3 to end the top half.

2-0 Illinois
Borkovich: 38 total pitches (12/26).

 

[saluno22]

Bot 5: MSU
RHP Kravetz for Illinois

(R) C Roskelly F-8. 1 out.
(L) CF Cheky 5-3. 2 out.
(L) 2B Durkin F-7 to end the inning.

2-0 Illinois
Kravetz: 44 total pitches (11/33). Even more efficient inning: 6 pitches, all strikes.

 

[saluno22]

Top 6: Illinois
RHP Borkovich for MSU

(S-L) 1B Kerian F-8. 1 out.
(R) CF Krug 6-3. 2 out.
(R) 3B Ry. Roper 5-3 to end the top half.

2-0 Illinois
Borkovich: 43 total pitches (13/30). Joining the efficiency party: 5 pitches (1/4).

 

[saluno22]

Bot 6: MSU
RHP Kravetz for Illinois

(L) LF Gibson F-9 near right-center warning track. 1 out.
(L) 1B Krill F-8 to right-center. 2 out.
(R) 3B Weist single thru left side.
(R) DH B. Salter F-8 to end the inning.

2-0 Illinois
Kravetz: 54 total pitches (15/39). That inning probably felt like an eternity for him.

 

[saluno22]

Top 7: Illinois
RHP Borkovich for MSU

(R) SS Walton 4-pitch walk.
(L) LF Nagle deep F-7, Walton holds at 1st. 1 out.
-Walton steals 2nd, slides into SS allowing ball to bounce to CF, advances to 3rd.
-MSU coach visits mount at 1-2 in Re. Roper AB.
(L) 2B Re. Roper K looking. 2 out.
(R) C Goldstein 1-3 to end the top half. Pitcher mishandled the slow roller at first but had plenty of time to complete the play.

2-0 Illinois
Borkovich: 58 total pitches (21/37).

 

[saluno22]

Bot 7: MSU
RHP Kravetz for Illinois

(R) SS Richardson K looking. 1 out.
(S-L) RF Hughes 4-3. 2 out.
(R) C Roskelly single thru left side past diving 3B.
(L) CF Cheky F-4 in shallow CF to end the inning.

2-0 Illinois
Kravetz: 71 total pitches (19/52). Started taking a bit longer between deliveries on the last couple batters.

 

[saluno22]

Top 8: Illinois
RHP Borkovich for MSU

(L) RF Fletcher 6-3. 1 out.
(R) DH McInerney single up the middle.
-Ump took a foul ball aff the ground to the extremely high upper thigh on 1-2 delivery to McInerney, took a while to recover.
(S-L) 1B Kerian 3 unassisted, McInerney went on first movement and advances to 2nd. 2 out.
(R) CF Krug single thru the right side, McInerney out at home 9-2 to end the to half. Heckuva throw!

2-0 Illinois
Borkovich: 72 total pitches (24/48).

 

[saluno22]

Bot 8: MSU
RHP Kravetz for Illinois

(L) 2B Durkin foul out to LF resting against the short wall. 1 out.
(L) LF Gibson F-7. 2 out.
(L) 1B Krill P-6 to end the inning.

2-0 Illinois
Kravetz: 80 total pitches (22/57). 9-pitch inning (3/6).

 

[saluno22]

Top 9: Illinois
RHP Borkovich for MSU

(R) 3B Ry. Roper K looking. 1 out.
(R) SS Walton L-6 knuckled. 2 out.
(L) LF Nagle F-9 to warning track to end the top half.

2-0 Illinois
Borkovich: 80 total pitches (24/56). 8-pitch inning, all strikes.

 

[saluno22]

Kravetz coming back out for Bot 9!

 

[saluno22]

Bot 9: MSU
RHP Kravetz for Illinois

(R) 3B Weist 6-3. 1 out.
(R) DH B. Salter 6-3. 2 out.
(R) SS Richardson reaches on E-6 throwing wide, forcing 1B to lift his foot off the bag.
(S) RF Hughes single lined to LF over SS, Richardson to 2nd.
-Illinois coach visits mound at 0-1 in Roskelly AB.
(R) C Roskelly F-9 to end the game.

FINAL 2-0 Illinois

Masterful performance by Kravetz: 9IP, 6H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 2K, 91 pitches (25/66)
Borkovich fantastic in long relief for MSU: 6.1IP, 2H, 0R, 0ER,3BB, 3K, 80 pitches (24/56)

#1 Illinois (47-7-1) advances to face #3 Michigan (35-23) at 1pm tomorrow (BTN).
#5 Michigan State (34-23) is eliminated.

Lots of errors for Illinois the last two nights.