Bullpen Brilliant Again, Illinois Sweeps No. 19 Coastal in Two Games

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The Illinois baseball team limited No. 19 Coastal Carolina to five hits in a 4-1 win Wednesday to finish a two-game midweek series sweep at Illinois Field. Illinois clinched the season series over Coastal Carolina 2-1.

"We beat a really good team," said head coach Dan Hartleb. "I thought our guys performed extremely well."

Illinois (19-8) was carried by another excellent night from the bullpen, extending the relievers' scoreless streak to 19 innings. A day after the relievers threw five shutout innings against Coastal, Illinois' 'pen worked 4 2/3 shutout frames while allowing only one hit and striking out eight.

"Those guys just came in and shoved," said Illinois senior Jack Yalowitz, who led the Illini with two hits and an RBI. Illinois outhit Coastal 9-5 with eight Illini getting at least one hit. 

Tyler Engel (0.2 IP, 0 H, 1 SO), Quinten Sefcik (1.0 IP, 0 H, 1 SO), Ryan Schmitt (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 SO), Sean Leland (1.0 IP, 1 H, 3 SO) and Garrett Acton (1.0 IP, 0 H, 3 SO) combined for the relief effort. Acton picked up his 10th save of the year, tying Tyler Jay's 2014 campaign for the fifth-most in Illinois history. 

Coastal Carolina (20-10-1) went 0-8 with runners in scoring position, finishing hitless in the two-game set (0-17) with runners in scoring position. 

Nathan Lavender got the Illini started on the mound with a career-high 4 1/3 innings pitched. He worked out of a pair of jams, stranding six Chanticleers, while allowing one run on four hits and striking out three. 

Coastal struck first in the fourth inning but Illinois immediately answered with a run in the bottom half on Yalowitz's RBI single. The Illini added two in the seventh, one on a passed ball and another on Michael Massey's sac fly, then scored in the eighth on a Coastal error. 

Illinois looks for win No. 20 of the season Friday against Maryland to start a three-game series. Saturday is scheduled for Moms' Day and Sunday is the always-popular Bark in the Park. 

Notes

• Illinois is 7-8 all-time against Coastal Carolina. 
• Coastal Carolina is ranked No. 19 by D1Baseball.com. 
• Illinois is 3-1 against ranked teams (D1Baseball Poll) in 2019.
• Illinois' bullpen has not allowed a run in 19 straight innings.
• Illinois' bullpen on Tuesday and Wednesday: 9.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 16 SO
• Illinois' bullpen in the last four games: 18.2 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 9 BB, 30 SO, .083 batting average against
• Hitting streaks: Massey 12, Troike 7, Van Scoy 7
• Reached base streaks: Massey 12, Van Scoy 10
• Illinois is 8-0 at home. 
• Illinois pitcher Quinten Sefcik's father, Jeff Sefcik, played first and third base for Coastal Carolina.
• Garrett Acton's 10 saves are tied for fifth-most in Illinois single-season history (Tyler Jay, 2014). Joey Gerber (2018) and Tyler Jay (2015) own the program record of 14.
• The Illini Slugger, a foot long bacon wrapped hot dog, sold out before first pitch. 

Highlights