Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Illinois
Bison Baseball Team Drops 18-6 Decision to Defending Big Ten Tournament Champion Illinois
3/14/2001 7:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 14, 2001
FRESNO, Calif. -- The University of Illinois pounded out 18 hits en route to an 18-6 win over Bucknell University in the Pepsi-Johnny Quik Classic at Fresno State University. The loss drops Bucknell to 6-4 overall and 1-2 in the tournament. The Bison will be the No. 3 seed during the cross-over portion of the tournament which begins on Thursday morning.
Illinois jumped all over Bison starter R.J. Grant (Ardsley, N.Y./Ardsley), scoring eight runs in the first two innings to take command of the game. A pair of home runs accounted for five of the eight runs.
Bucknell got on the board with a solo home run from senior first baseman Russ Lindberg (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/St. Peter Chanel) in the second inning. It was his club-leading fifth round-tripper of the season. Classmate John DiBonaventura (Breinigsville, Pa./Parkland) added a solo shot, his first of the season, in the fourth.
After Illinois stretched the lead to 12-2, Bucknell got four runs - three of which were unearned -- in the top of the sixth to close the margin to 12-6. But Illinois kept swinging and continued the onslaught with a run in the sixth and five more in the eighth.
Lindberg finished the day 2-4 with and RBI and a pair of runs scored, while DiBonaventura went 2-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Senior center fielder Ian Joseph (Novelty, Ohio/West Geauga) went 2-3 with a run scored.
