GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Illinois baseball (5-6) secured a winning weekend at the First Pitch Invitational with a 12-6 win over Michigan State (4-7) in a non-conference matchup at Fluor Field today.
Drake Westcott powered the offense today, going 1-for-4 with a run, home run, three RBI and a walk. Asher Bradd, Coltin Quagliano and Brody Harding all had two hits in the ballgame and all nine starters recorded at least one hit.
Cooper Omans earned his second win in as many appearances, working 2.2 innings of one-run ball, scattering four hits and striking out three. Jake Swartz took no-decision in the start, allowing three runs, two earned, over 4.1 innings, punching-out three. The Fighting Illini pitching staff issued just one free pass in the contest and totaled six strikeouts.
HOW IT HAPPENED
For the second time this weekend, the Illini put up a crooked number their first time at the plate. Quagliano got Illinois on the board with an RBI-groundout and Ryan Moerman plated two more with a two-out RBI-single, after Vytas Valincius extended the inning with a two-out walk, to make it 3-0.
Illinois hit Michigan State for three more in the second, with Quagliano picking up his second RBI of the contest on a single, and Valincius picking up two RBI on a two-out base hit to make it 6-0.
Swartz retired the first six batters he faced and retired nine of the first 10 batters overall, yielding just one hit.
With the Spartan offense held scoreless through three, the Illini offense made it 9-0 after a three-run fourth, thanks to Westcott's three-run blast to right center.
Michigan State would grab a run back in the bottom half of the fourth, but Illinois would tally their fourth three-run inning of the ballgame in the fifth. The Orange and Blue would score on an error, an RBI-groundout from Camden Janik and on a wild pitch to make it 12-1.
The Spartans would score once in the seventh and twice in the eighth, but it was not enough as the Illini cruised to the 12-6 victory.
UP NEXT
Illinois baseball heads to Knoxville, Tenn., where they will face the No. 8 Tennessee Volunteers in a three-game set at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. First pitch on Friday's series opener is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT.
GAME NOTES
» Coltin Quagliano went 2-for-5 with a run and two RBI.
» Has recorded at least one hit in 10 of 11 games this season...has back-to-back multi-hit games.
» Has 12 RBI in 40 at-bats this season compared to nine RBI in 61 at-bats last season.
» Asher Bradd went 2-for-5 with a run scored.
» First multi-hit game of the season.
» Brody Harding went 2-for-4 with a walk.
» Has back-to-back multi-hit games...has three such performances in his last four.
» Drake Westcott went 1-for-4 with a run, home run, three RBI and a walk.
» Has drawn seven walks in his last four games...has drawn at least one walk in four-straight games.
» Currently leads all Big Ten batters with 13 walks.
» Ranks fifth among Big Ten hitters with a 1.216 OPS.
» Cal Hejza went 1-for-3 with four runs scored and a walk.
» Matched his career high in runs scored.
» Has reached safely in 10-straight games.
» Cameron Chee-Aloy went 1-for-6 with two runs scored.
» Has reached safely in all 11 games this season.
» Every Illinois starter reached base safely in the win.
» The Fighting Illini drew six walks from Michigan State pitching.
» Illinois went 4-for-13 (.308) with runners in scoring position.
» Jake Rons tossed a scoreless ninth inning to end the game.
» Allowed just two hits and no runs over 3.0 innings of work at the First Pitch Invitational.
» Illinois pitchers faced 40 Michigan State hitters in the game, allowing six ground balls and 13 fly balls while striking out six.
» The Illini have won four-straight against the Spartans and nine of the last 10 matchups overall.
Drake Westcott powered the offense today, going 1-for-4 with a run, home run, three RBI and a walk. Asher Bradd, Coltin Quagliano and Brody Harding all had two hits in the ballgame and all nine starters recorded at least one hit.
Cooper Omans earned his second win in as many appearances, working 2.2 innings of one-run ball, scattering four hits and striking out three. Jake Swartz took no-decision in the start, allowing three runs, two earned, over 4.1 innings, punching-out three. The Fighting Illini pitching staff issued just one free pass in the contest and totaled six strikeouts.
HOW IT HAPPENED
For the second time this weekend, the Illini put up a crooked number their first time at the plate. Quagliano got Illinois on the board with an RBI-groundout and Ryan Moerman plated two more with a two-out RBI-single, after Vytas Valincius extended the inning with a two-out walk, to make it 3-0.
Illinois hit Michigan State for three more in the second, with Quagliano picking up his second RBI of the contest on a single, and Valincius picking up two RBI on a two-out base hit to make it 6-0.
Swartz retired the first six batters he faced and retired nine of the first 10 batters overall, yielding just one hit.
With the Spartan offense held scoreless through three, the Illini offense made it 9-0 after a three-run fourth, thanks to Westcott's three-run blast to right center.
Michigan State would grab a run back in the bottom half of the fourth, but Illinois would tally their fourth three-run inning of the ballgame in the fifth. The Orange and Blue would score on an error, an RBI-groundout from Camden Janik and on a wild pitch to make it 12-1.
The Spartans would score once in the seventh and twice in the eighth, but it was not enough as the Illini cruised to the 12-6 victory.
UP NEXT
Illinois baseball heads to Knoxville, Tenn., where they will face the No. 8 Tennessee Volunteers in a three-game set at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. First pitch on Friday's series opener is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT.
GAME NOTES
» Coltin Quagliano went 2-for-5 with a run and two RBI.
» Has recorded at least one hit in 10 of 11 games this season...has back-to-back multi-hit games.
» Has 12 RBI in 40 at-bats this season compared to nine RBI in 61 at-bats last season.
» Asher Bradd went 2-for-5 with a run scored.
» First multi-hit game of the season.
» Brody Harding went 2-for-4 with a walk.
» Has back-to-back multi-hit games...has three such performances in his last four.
» Drake Westcott went 1-for-4 with a run, home run, three RBI and a walk.
» Has drawn seven walks in his last four games...has drawn at least one walk in four-straight games.
» Currently leads all Big Ten batters with 13 walks.
» Ranks fifth among Big Ten hitters with a 1.216 OPS.
» Cal Hejza went 1-for-3 with four runs scored and a walk.
» Matched his career high in runs scored.
» Has reached safely in 10-straight games.
» Cameron Chee-Aloy went 1-for-6 with two runs scored.
» Has reached safely in all 11 games this season.
» Every Illinois starter reached base safely in the win.
» The Fighting Illini drew six walks from Michigan State pitching.
» Illinois went 4-for-13 (.308) with runners in scoring position.
» Jake Rons tossed a scoreless ninth inning to end the game.
» Allowed just two hits and no runs over 3.0 innings of work at the First Pitch Invitational.
» Illinois pitchers faced 40 Michigan State hitters in the game, allowing six ground balls and 13 fly balls while striking out six.
» The Illini have won four-straight against the Spartans and nine of the last 10 matchups overall.
