BEAUMONT, Texas -- Illinois dropped two games Saturday in a split doubleheader against Milwaukee and Lamar. Milwaukee took the early game, 4-2, before the Illini fell in the nightcap to Lamar, 15-9.
The Illini have one game left in the Cardinal Classic, a 10 a.m. matchup tomorrow with the host Lamar Cardinals. Freshman Ty Weber will get the ball in his collegiate debut.
Lamar 15, Illinois 5
Lamar scored four runs in the first, second and fourth innings Saturday to build a 12-3 lead en route to a 15-9 victory over Illinois. The Illini had 12 hits, one fewer than Lamar, but issued nine free passes in the the loss.
Jack Yalowitz had three hits and Pat McInerney and Dan Rowbottom added two apiece. Yalowitz had two of the Illini's seven extra-base hits, a double and a triple, and drove in two runs. Matthew James delivered a three-RBI triple in his first plate appearance of the year.
Cole Bellair (0-1) was handed the loss in 1 2/3 innings. He allowed seven hits and walked two resulting in runs, although only four were earned.
Illinois (1-2) used four pitchers out of the bullpen that combined to throw 6 1/3 innings, while allowing seven runs on five hits. The big blow for the Illini came in the third inning when Lamar scored four runs without getting a hit because of five walks.
Milwaukee 4, Illinois 2
Pat McInerney blasted a solo homer and Illinois outhit Milwaukee 8-6, but the Illini left nine runners on base in a 4-2 loss Saturday. Illinois and Milwaukee split their two-game series to start the year after the Illini won the Friday opener 10-2.
McInerney's blast, the Illini's first of the season, gave Illinois a 1-0 lead in the fourth. Milwaukee answered with three in the fifth and one in the sixth, all off of starter Quinten Sefcik (0-1), who took the loss.
Sefcik went 5 1/3 innings while allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits. Freshmen Zack Jones (1 2/3 inning) and Cyrillo Watson (1 inning) put up scoreless outings in their first career appearances.
Sophomore designated hitter Casey Dodge led the lineup with three hits in his first career start.
Illinois (1-1) put runners on third base in two of the first three innings but stranded them each time.Â
