PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- The Illinois baseball team split a doubleheader Friday at Rutgers, winning the second game 7-5 after dropping the series opener 8-3.
Casey Dodge led the offense with two hits in each game, including two RBI singles in the nightcap. Jack Yalowitz added two hits in the first game and a leadoff homer in Game 2.
"The guy that came up with two important RBIs was Casey Dodge," said head coach Dan Hartleb. "I think we did a great job of bouncing back again. We still need to get more wins."
The series finale is scheduled for Saturday at 12 p.m. CT, although rain is in the forecast for most of the day. Follow @IlliniBaseball on Twitter for updates.
Game 2 - Illinois 7, Rutgers 5
Bren Spillane hit an opposite field solo homer and Pat McInerney provided a two-out, two-RBI single in the fourth inning as Illinois opened a 6-2 lead and held on for a 7-5 win in Game 2.
Illinois (22-25, 8-12 Big Ten) got hits from eight of the nine starters in the lineup, including two from Casey Dodge, Michael Massey and Doran Turchin. Dodge and McInerney both drove in two and Massey had his first career triple.
Yalowitz's leadoff blast was his 12th home run of the season.
Cyrillo Watson (3-4) picked up the win by going five innings and allowing five runs on eight hits. Ryan Thompson pitched three scoreless innings and Joey Gerber earned his eighth save with a 1-2-3 ninth.
Rutgers (18-29, 6-11 Big Ten) had just as many hits as Illinois (11) but went 4 for 17 (.235) with runners in scoring position.
Game 1 - Rutgers 8, Illinois 3
Ty Weber delivered a quality start and Pat McInerney hit his 14th home run of the season but it was not enough for the Illinois baseball team in an 8-3 loss at Rutgers.
Illinois allowed five runs in the bottom of the eighth to turn a 3-3 game into a five-run hole. Rutgers scored its first four runs of the eighth without a hit, on three walks, a fielder's choice and a sac bunt, before Mike Carter capped the inning with his fifth homer of the season.
The Illini held a 1-0 lead in the fourth and a 3-1 lead after five innings before the bullpen faltered. Ty Weber started and went 6 1/3 strong innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and striking out six. The six punch outs were his season high for a Big Ten game.
Ryan Schmitt (4-2) was tagged with the loss in 1 2/3 innings of relief. He allowed all five of Rutgers' eighth-inning runs.
Rutgers' Serafino Brito went toe-to-toe with Weber, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits in seven innings. He was followed by scoreless innings from Ryan Fleming (3-0), who got the win and Max Herrman.
