COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Cody Sedlock retired the final 22 batters Saturday afternoon to finish a 4-2 win for the Illinois baseball team at Maryland in the front end of a doubleheader. Sedlock threw a three-hitter to register his first complete game.
Illinois (24-19, 8-8 Big Ten) got back to .500 in the Big Ten, while not having to go to the bullpen in the opener of a three-game set. The three games start within 23 hours of each other with the second game coming Saturday afternoon and the finale Sunday at 11 a.m. CT.
Sedlock allowed two hits in the first and one in the second, as Maryland opened a 2-1 lead through two innings. Only one run was earned after Sedlock made a throwing error to plate Maryland's second run on a potential double play ball. That was the last bad throw Sedlock made, as it started the right-hander's run of 22 straight batters retired.
Sedlock struck out seven to get to 97 strikeouts in 2016, just 11 away from Illinois' single-season record.
Dan Rowbottom had the game's last two hits and was the only player in the game with more than one knock. His two-out double in the fourth off of Maryland ace Mike Shawaryn gave the Illini its 4-2 lead that gave Sedlock enough support for the victory.
Illinois scored three runs in the fourth after Shawaryn had the Illini at 0 for 12 to start the game. Shawaryn was a first team All-American in 2015.
Shawaryn went 7.0 innings while allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits.
Doug Hayes faces Maryland right-hander Taylor Bloom in the nightcap.
