June 06, 2011 |By Douglas Farmer, Tribune Newspapers
FULLERTON, Calif. — Illinois needed everything to break right Sunday at the NCAA regional here just to live to play another day. Twice.
But after finding some magic to eliminate the region's top seed earlier in the day, the Illini were simply outclassed late Sunday night in a 14-2 loss to Stanford that ended Illinois season.
Starter Lee Zerrusen gave up five earned runs in 2 2/3 innings in the loss. Zerrusen's misery hadcompany: Stanford had no trouble with any of the six pitchers Illinois coach Dan Hartleb trotted out, and the Cardinal ended the game with 20 hits.
"(We) kind of ran out of pitching and it got away from us," Hartleb said. "Even when it got away from us, I thought our guys played with class."
Stanford designated hitter Ben Clowe inflicted the worst of the damage, beginning the assault with a two-run home run in the third inning. Clowe launched another two-run blast in the sixth and finished with four hits, a walk, four RBIs and three runs scored.
Stanford pitcher Brian Busick snuffed out any Illinois hopes in the last two innings by striking out five of the seven batters he faced.
Illinois (30-27) had eliminated Cal-State Fullerton, 7-5, earlier Sunday, rallying to tie the game at 4 in the seventh before pulling away with a three-run eighth. That earned a date with Stanford. Had Illinois won that game, which ended about 1 a.m. Monday Chicago time, the teams would have played again Monday for a berth in the super regionals.
Illini centerfielder Willie Argo scored twice against Fullerton, and added an RBI in the fall to Stanford. Designated hitter Justin Parr knocked in the Illinois' only other run against the Cardinal. Illinois shortstop Josh Parr and rightfielder Davis Hendrickson were both named to the All-Regional team.
ILLINI BASEBALL made me proud to be an ILLINI. Look at these plays: Video: Cappetta's & Hendrickson's Top Plays of the Weekend http://bit.ly/lJaN3y ...! Monte
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