CONWAY, S.C. -- The Illinois baseball team split a pair of games Saturday at Springs Brooks Stadium. The Illini started with a 10-8 loss to West Virginia before hanging on for a 7-6 win over host Coastal Carolina.
"It was an interesting day," said head coach Dan Hartleb. "Our guys did a great job of fighting back."
Illinois (2-3) scored 11 of its 15 runs by home run. Bren Spillane (grand slam) and Zac Taylor (2-run) homered in the first game and Jeff Korte (3-run) and Doran Turchin (2-run) went deep against Coastal.
"The ball flies out of here," said Hartleb. "You're never safe. Our bullpen was really good today. I was really pleased with them."
The Illini's bullpen threw three innings against Coastal, allowing only a two-out homer in the ninth, to secure the win.
"We still have work to do but it's nice to come out with a victory," said Hartleb.
Game 2 - Illinois 7, Coastal Carolina 6
Illinois jumped out to a 7-0 lead by the fifth inning and held on for a 7-6 win. Jeff Korte got the scoring started with a three-run shot in the second and the Illini added four runs in the fifth, two coming on Doran Turchin's no-doubt homer.
Turchin had two hits and was joined by Michael Massey and Grant Van Scoy with two apiece. Massey added a two-out RBI double in the big fifth inning.
Starter Ty Weber (1-0) gave Illinois six innings on the mound, allowing four runs on five hits while striking out four. He turned it over to the bullpen in the seventh and three Illini finished off the game. Zack Jones worked a 1-2-3 seventh, Sean Leland held Coastal scoreless in the eighth and Joey Gerber (1) picked up his first save of the year, allowing only the two-out homer.
Coastal Carolina (5-2) scored all of its runs on three two-run homers. Zack Hopeck (0-1) allowed seven runs (six earned) in five innings to take the loss.
Game 1 - West Virginia 10, Illinois 8
Kevin Brophy hit three home runs and drove in eight to lead West Virginia to a 10-8 decision over Illinois. Bren Spillane hit a grand slam to tie the game 6-6 in the sixth inning, before Brophy hit a grand slam of his own in the next half inning to give the Mountaineers the lead for good.
Illinois trailed 6-0 after allowing four runs in the first, one in the fifth and one in the sixth. The Illini tied the score entirely via the home run after Zac Taylor hit a two-run shot and Spillane's grand slam followed five batters later.
Taylor added another RBI in the bottom of the ninth, as Illinois rallied to get the potential tying run to first base. The rally fizzled when West Virginia closer Sam Kessler got the final two outs to record his second save of the season.
