PHOENIX -- The Illinois baseball team completed a three-game sweep at Grand Canyon with a 9-2 win Sunday. Illinois cruised after taking a 7-0 lead by the fifth inning.
Illinois (10-3) has swept three of its first four weekends for the first time since beginning to regularly play February games in 1982. The Illini are off to their best 13-game start since beginning 10-2-1 during the historic 50-win season in 2015.
Illinois outhit Grand Canyon, 35-12, in the series including 16-7 during the Sunday finale. The biggest hit was Ben Troike's two-RBI double in the fourth inning to finish a nine-pitch at-bat.
"What really stands out to me in the game was that at-bat," said head coach Dan Hartleb. "Really got us going. Their bench just deflated after that."
Troike laced a 3-2 pitch with two outs down the left field line to give Illinois a 3-0 lead. Troike saw more pitches in the fourth inning than Grand Canyon after Cyrillo Watson worked a 1-2-3 frame on five pitches in the bottom half.
Watson (2-0) picked up the win in six innings of work while allowing one run on four hits.
Illinois started the scoring with Michael Massey's third-inning homer, his second home run in as many days. Zac Taylor, who was a homer from the cycle, and Kellen Sarver had three hits, while Troike, Branden Comia, Jack Yalowitz and Michael Michalak all added two hits.
The Illini are scheduled for their home opener Friday at 4 p.m. CT against Southern Illinois.
Notes
• Illinois' 10-3 start is its best through 13 games since starting 10-2-1 in 2015.
• Illinois swept three of the first four weekends for the first time in program history since beginning to play February games in 1982.
• Eight of nine Illinois starters had hits.
• Illinois was 8-18 (.444) with runners in scoring position.
• Illinois' lead off man reached in five of nine innings.
• Zac Taylor left the game in the sixth inning after crashing into the outfield wall trying to make a catch.
• Grand Canyon was swept for the first time since Cal State Fullerton beat the 'Lopes three straight times March 16-18, 2018.
• Grand Canyon was swept at home for the first time since New Mexico State won three straight at GCU Ballpark April 8-10, 2016.
Highlights
