Who''s pitching for UI?

CHAMPAIGN – Pitching depth is a must for a team to contend for a Big Ten Conference baseball championship.

Junior transfers Tim Zidlicky and Brian Funk put in their bids to supply that depth Wednesday as the University of Illinois opened their home season at Illinois Field with a doubleheader sweep of Western Michigan.

Zidlicky, a transfer from Creighton University, pitched five innings of two-hit ball to get the win in a 3-0 victory in the opener.

Funk, who played the last two seasons at Bradley University, gave up one run in 31/3-innings of relief. Funk struck out five in two perfect innings of relief in the opener. He got the win with another 11/3 innings as the Illini rallied for a 5-4 win in the nightcap.

Both are likely to see action again this weekend as the Illini open Big Ten play with a four-game series – starting Friday – with Michigan State at Illinois Field. Brett Weber and Brian Hecht will start for the UI in the first two games.

A third option – Tim Lavery – is working out with the football team.

"We're not sure from there because we don't know about Lavery," UI coach Itch Jones. "You don't know what he will do after pitching footballs. It all depends on how he feels.

"Our pitchers are just not ready to go nine innings yet either. I'd rather start a pitcher that might not be as good rather than bring a pitcher that is wild into a game in relief."

Neither Zidlicky nor Funk issued a walk against Western Michigan.

The only hits off Zidlicky, a 6-foot-2 right-hander, were a pair of singles in the third inning, one a bunt.

Funk's only mistake was a seventh-inning homer by Kris Guidrum.

Funk, who wanted to play infield at Bradley, is happy with his role as a reliever.

"I was pitching more than playing infield at Bradley," the O'Fallon native said. "I figured my best chance to play was as an infielder. Once I got here, they started working with me exclusively as a pitcher.

"It's much better than doing both. I felt real great the first game. I just tried to stay calm and compact. I wasn't rushing things.

"It looks like my role will be in relief. Still I'll take anything they give me."

Zidlicky also expects to be employed in relief this weekend.

"I was glad to get a chance to start since I've been used mainly in relief," Zidlicky said. "I'll probably start some midweek games, but I expect to be used in relief on weekends. I certainly wouldn't mind starting if I have the opportunity."

Hitting, or the lack of it, could be even more of a problem than pitching depth for the Illini.

"We are just not taking good swings," Jones said.

Of the UI's 12 hits, two went for extra bases.

"We have to come up with someone to give us some RBIs."

That someone Wednesday was freshman infielder D.J. Svihlik.

Svihlik's first collegiate hit in five at-bats was a two-out pitch-hit triple in the top of the seventh inning of the second game. He also scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch moments later to give the Illini their fifth win in 14 games.

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