CONWAY, S.C. -- Illinois starting pitchers Ty Weber and Luke Shilling combined to allow just one earned run in 12 2/3 innings Saturday, but the Illini dropped both ends of a doubleheader at No. 21 Coastal Carolina. The Chanticleers took the opener 3-2 and the nightcap 6-0.
"Overall I think we made some progress in the weekend but we still need to clean some things up," said head coach Dan Hartleb. "We're disappointed in where we are at with our record but we aren't frustrated with how hard the guys have played."
Coastal Carolina (11-7) clinched the three-game series 2-1. Illinois (4-9) won Friday in the first game of the series 7-6, the program's first win over a defending national champion since 1965.
Game 1 - Coastal Carolina 3, Illinois 2
Illinois freshman Ty Weber took a no-hitter to the eighth inning Saturday at No. 21 Coastal Carolina, but the Chanticleers hit back-to-back solo home runs in the eighth to come back and beat the Illini 3-2 in walk-off fashion. Kevin Woodall Jr. and Peyton Isaacson were the heroes, blasting homers off of Illinois freshman Ryan Schmitt.
Weber's no-hit bid was broken up with two outs in the eighth when Billy Cooke singled on a bunt to the right side. The Illini right-hander's final line was 7 2/3 innings, one run on one hit and six strikeouts. He retired 14 straight Chanticleers before Cooke barely avoided a tag from first baseman Pat McInerney on the single.
Illinois started the scoring in the top of the first on Michael Massey's two-out, two-RBI single to right field. Coastal answered with one run in the bottom of half, despite not getting a hit. Neither team scored between the first and ninth innings as Weber and Coastal starter Andrew Beckwith (7.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER) cruised.
Game 2 - Coastal Carolina 6, Illinois 0
Illinois was shut out for the first time this season in a 6-0 loss at Coastal Carolina in the series finale. The Illini outhit Coastal 5-3, but walked nine Chanticleers and made four errors in the defeat. Â
Illini starting pitcher Luke Shilling did not allow a hit in five innings of work but walked seven batters, including the leadoff hitter in the sixth before getting pulled. Coastal scored all six of its runs over the next two innings, although only two were earned. Illinois misplayed two CCU bunts, threw away a pickoff attempt and made an error at shortstop as the game got away from the Illini. Â
Quinten Sefcik (1-2) allowed three runs (one earned) on just one hit, but made two errors on the mound, to take the loss. He was followed by Ryan Thompson, who allowed two runs without getting an out. Joey Gerber and Matthew James worked 1-2-3 innings in the eighth and ninth, respectively.
Jason Bilous (2-0) was impressive on the mound for Coastal Carolina. He picked up his second win of the year by going seven shutout innings while allowing just four hits and striking out nine. Illinois only got runners to scoring position in three innings.
