Team takes 3 of 4 from Illini, improves to 20-4

Senior shortstop Eric Blakely hit a dramatic three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to lift the IU men's baseball team over Illinois 5-3 in the finale of the series yesterday at Sembower Field. The Hoosiers were down 3-2 with one out in the bottom of the seventh when freshman second baseman Jay Brant was hit by a pitch. \nJunior centerfielder Kennard Jones came to the plate and earned a walk to put runners on first and second. Blakeley came up and took the pitch deep over the left field wall to put the Hoosiers on top.\n"I knew I needed to get a base hit to score the tying run," Blakeley said. "The ball was a little lower in the zone and right where I like it and I just did what I could with it. I made an adjustment to make my swing a little more compact and it paid off today."\nSophomore pitcher Adam Pegg picked up the win with 4-and-a-third innings of strong relief to close out the game. He improved to 3-1 on the season.\n"I came out jumpy," Pegg said. "I started the fourth rushing a little bit, but in my first full inning, the fifth, I settled down a little and was locating my fastball, throwing my slider and the guys played defense behind me. \n"It seems that every time I pitch it comes down to the last at-bat. We will take the win and it was a good one. I come in and my job is to shut the other team down and go as long as I can. Today I did that."\nThe Hoosiers had strong pitching all weekend. Junior Nick Vitielliss pitched a four-hit shutout in the opener yesterday in the 4-0 win. He improves to 3-0 for the year. Senior Zach Otte pitched a complete game in the nightcap Saturday, giving up only two runs in the 9-2 victory. He improves to 4-1. Junior Jacob Cary had a rocky start in the series opener Saturday, but settled down and pitched a complete game. He gave up six runs in the 6-4 loss, falling to 4-2 this year.\nThat game was won by last year's Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, Andy Dickinson. IU had major offensive contributions throughout the series. Blakely had a big day Easter Sunday, going 3 for 7 with a game winning home run, five RBI, and three runs scored. Junior third baseman Vasili Spanos made a strong bid for consecutive Big Ten Player of the Week honors by going 6 for 12 with two home runs, six RBI and four runs scored in the series. Kennard Jones went 6 for 14 with two steals and four runs scored. Sophomore leftfielder Mark Calkins went 6 for 11 with three runs scored.\n"We haven't won a Big Ten series in I don't know how long, not since I've been here," Calkins said. "To get off on a good start and beat a good team like Illinois is huge. We have a lot of momentum."\nIU coach Bob Morgan is only 25 wins away from 1,000 in his career after the series victory.\n"Anytime you can take three out of four from anyone in the Big Ten that is a good weekend," Morgan said. "We were able to do that and give our kids some confidence, and I just hope that we build upon it"