Illinois Defeats Old Dominion, 3-1 Behind Complete Game By Jason Anderson

May 26, 2000

CLEMSON, SC -Jason Anderson went the distance for the Fighting Illini striking out seven and allowing only seven hits to lead third-seeded Illinois past Old Dominion 3-1 in the first game of the NCAA Regional in Clemson on Friday afternoon.

The victory was Anderson’s 14th of the season and that total is a new single season record at Illinois. The complete game was his third in row and the seventh in a row for the team. Old Dominion pitcher Shawn Weaver also pitched a complete game but surrendered three runs on eight hits and picked up the loss to fall to 9-5 on the year.

Old Dominion got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning when Travis Silver singled to right field scoring Jason Greiner who had singled and advanced to second on a passed ball.

The score remained 1-0 until the bottom of top of the eighth inning when Illinois center fielder Brady Ballard singled to score Chris Basak who had stolen second after reaching base on a fielder’s choice.

With the score knotted at 1-1, Illinois held Old Dominion in the bottom of the eighth inning and then scored two more runs in the top of the ninth to seal the victory. The first of those two runs came after Craig Marquie singled and scored on a hit by D.J. Svihlik. Old Dominion’s third and final run came as Luke Simmons scored on a suicide squeeze bunt by Jeff Gertz.

Illinois, which improved to 41-21 on the season, moves on to play the winner of Friday night’s Clemson vs. Middle Tennessee game on Saturday at 3:00 PM. Old Dominion fell to 33-23-1 and faces elimination vs. the Clemson vs. MTSU loser at 11:00 AM Saturday.