CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The Illinois baseball team dropped a doubleheader Friday to Michigan State 12-4 and 12-1 to open Big Ten play. The teams are scheduled to finish the series Sunday at 2 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network.
Illinois (6-14, 0-2 Big Ten) was led by Pat McInerney's two homers, both coming in Game 1.
Michigan State (14-5, 2-0 Big Ten) scored 24 runs on 24 hits, including five home runs in the two games. Royce Ando and Dan Durkin homered in the first game, Zack McGuire hit two solo shots in the second game and Brandon Hughes also added a home run in the nightcap.
Michigan State 12, Illinois 1 (Game 2)
The Spartans jumped to a 9-0 lead after six innings and cruised to a 12-1 victory to sweep the doubleheader. Seven of Michigan State's 13 hits were for extra bases.
Ty Weber (1-2) started and took the loss by allowing seven runs (six earned) in five innings. Â
Ethan Landon (1-1) won for the first time in 2017. He allowed only one run (zero earned) on three hits, while striking out two and walking two.
The Illini were held to six hits in the game.
Michigan State 12, Illinois 4 (Game 1)
Michigan State scored multiple runs in five different innings and beat Illinois 10-4 in the first game.
Illinois got half its runs on two solo home runs from Pat McInerney. He hit an opposite field blast in the first and followed with a no-doubter to lead off the seventh.
Michigan State had 11 hits, including two homers. Eight Spartans had at least one hit and seven had at least one run scored. Dan Durkin led the charge with a single, homer, three runs and three RBIs.
Cole Bellair (1-2) was tagged with the loss after allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits in 4 1/3 innings. All five Illini that pitched allowed a run.
Jake Lowery (2-0), who relieved starter Alex Troop, was the winner with one run allowed in two innings. He entered the game in the fifth with runners at first and second and got a double play ball to end the frame. Troop's final line was three runs allowed (two earned) on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. Walter Borkovich closed the game with 2 2/3 scoreless innings.Â
