March 2, 2015
Box Score | Printable Box Score | Photos | Hartleb Interview
CONWAY, S.C. - Illinois, which was ranked No. 27 by Collegiate Baseball on Monday, wrapped up the Chanticleer Classic with a 7-1 win over host Coastal Carolina. Every Illini starter recorded a hit, while four UI pitchers limited CCU to two hits at Springs Brooks Stadium.
Shortstop Adam Walton led off the game with a double and scored the first run on Reid Roper's RBI single. After going down in order in both the second and third, the Illini posted three runs in the fourth to grab a 4-0 advantage.
Reid Roper ripped a one-out double followed by an error at third on junior Ryan Nagle's grounder that placed runners on the corner. Senior David Kerian poked a single to center followed by a two-run double courtesy of sophomore Pat McInerney.
After three perfect innings to begin the game, starter Cody Sedlock allowed a walk and hit by pitch in the fourth before settling down with two strikeouts and a foul out to end the threat. He picked up his second win as part of a staff day and did now allow a hit over four scoreless innings while striking out four.
Junior Nick Blackburn came on in relief for the fifth and allowed the first run and hit on a solo homer to left. Blackburn gave up a double and recoded an out before giving way to junior J.D. Nielsen, who ended the sixth with a groundout, walk and fly out.
The Illini left the bases loaded in the top of the seventh, while junior Tyler Jay took over in the bottom half with a quick 1-2-3 inning. He followed it with a perfect eighth and solid ninth, with only one runner reaching on a dropped third strike. Jay earned his third save and 12th of his career, which ranks seventh in school history.
Sophomore Matthew James provided an insurance run in the eighth when he pinch-hit and drilled his second homer of the weekend. Nagle added two more runs in the ninth when he knocked in Reid Roper and senior Casey Fletcher.
The Illini won three out of five games at the tournament and boast a 9-2-1 record through 12 games. Both losses were by one run. Illinois finished with a 1.23 ERA at the Chanticleer Classic and outscored its opponents 14-8.
For the season, Illinois' pitching staff owns a 1.67 ERA with 105 strikeouts and 21 walks.
Up Next: Illinois will head to Stillwater, Oklahoma, next weekend for a three-game series against No. 10 Oklahoma State.
