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Johnson's Walk-Off Homer Wins Game, Series for Illini, 10-9
May 5, 2008
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Catcher Aaron Johnson blasted a two-run, two-out walk-off home run to lift Illinois to a 10-9 win over Northwestern in a wild series finale, claiming the Illini's fourth Big Ten series victory this season. Johnson finished the day 3-for-5 with two RBIs and three runs as Illinois notched its 12th comeback win of the season and fifth win in its last at bat to improve to 28-18 overall, 14-10 in the Big Ten. "I've said it all year, but our players just don't quit," Illinois coach Dan Hartleb said. "They battle their tails off night in and night out, and that's how we've gotten this far." With the victory, the Illini remain in third place in the Big Ten standings, three games out of second place with two conference series remaining. Illinois faces fourth-place Ohio State (24-21, 11-12) and second-place Purdue (26-19, 17-7) in the season's final two weekends. Northwestern took a one-run lead when left fielder Mike Kalina knocked a one-out homer to right-center in the fourth, but the Illini battled back with a four-run bottom half of the inning. With two outs, shortstop Brandon Wikoff singled and Johnson's base hit moved him up a station. DH Daniel Webb laced a single up the middle to score Wikoff and first baseman Ryan Hastings blasted his fifth home run of the season, a three-run shot to right-center, to give Illinois a 4-1 lead. But the Wildcats tied the game in the fifth by scoring three runs on two hits, two walks, a hit batter and an error to make the score 4-4. Illinois pulled back ahead with a run in the bottom half when left fielder Casey McMurray led off the inning with a single and stole second. He moved to third on a groundout and scored on second baseman Joe Bonadonna's base hit to left, pushing the Orange and Blue ahead, 5-4. After Billy Barrett came on in relief in the sixth and tossed a perfect frame, the Illini added a run in the bottom half on an infield hit by Johnson, which was followed one out later by a single through the right side by Hastings. Third baseman John Schlichter brought home Johnson with a base hit to left-center for a 6-4 lead. But Barrett ran into trouble in the seventh, allowing a leadoff single and having a wild pitch move the runner to second. Northwestern center fielder Aaron Newman hit a sharp grounder to Wikoff, who threw to third and had the runner by a step, but Schlichter muffed the throw, leaving runners safe at the corners. A single to left drove in a run and, after an out, Barrett walked the bases loaded before being relieved by Ben Reeser. The next hitter reached on catcher's interference, driving in the tying run, but Reeser induced an inning-ending double play to escape the jam with the game tied, 6-6. Hudson and Bonadonna drew consecutive walks to start the seventh, but Wikoff flew out and Johnson hit into a double play to end the inning. In the eighth, Reeser walked the first two hitters he faced and a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third. A grounder by Newman drove in a run to make it 7-6 in Northwestern's favor and, after Reeser walked another Wildcat, he struck out Northwestern clean-up hitter Mike Kalina to end the inning.
In the eighth, Hastings reached on a one-out walk but was caught stealing at second before Schlichter singled to center. Right fielder Craig Lutes then came through with a sky-high two-out home run down the right-field line to put the Illini ahead, 8-7. But Reeser continued to struggle in the ninth, allowing a one-out single and hitting a batter. Wildcat catcher Chad Noble drove in the tying run and shortstop Tommy Finn laid down a safety squeeze that plated the go-ahead run for a 9-8 Northwestern lead. After an intentional walk, Reeser got a come-backer from Newman to end the frame. With the Illini down to their final three outs, Hudson struck out to start the frame. Bonadonna reached on an excellent bunt single down the third-base line, but he was picked off first to take Illinois to its last out. But Wikoff kept hope alive with a single to center and Johnson blasted a no-doubt shot to left-center on a 1-1 curveball for his first walk-off homer in an Illini uniform, giving Illinois an amazing 10-9 comeback victory. "The momentum we'll bring to next weekend is great," Bonadonna said. "We never quit. We had two outs and everybody just kept pushing, and Johnson was able to come through in a huge way." In addition to Johnson's heroics at the plate, Wikoff was 2-for-5 with two runs and Hastings went 2-for-3 with a three-run homer. Lutes drove in two with his home run and Bonadonna went 2-for-4 with an RBI to extend his career-best hitting streak to 15 games. Johnson also holds a lengthy streak, now at 12. Up Next: Illinois has the week off for final exams before heading to Columbus, Ohio, for a four-game set with the Buckeyes. Friday's game starts at 5:35 p.m. (CT), Saturday's doubleheader will begin at 12:05 p.m. (CT) and Sunday's finale will have a 12:05 p.m. (CT) first pitch. |
