ELON, N.C. — The Illinois baseball team held a 6-5 in the sixth inning after Danny Doligale's RBI triple, but Elon answered with five runs in the bottom half and won 10-6. The two teams meet again Saturday and Sunday as part of the three-game series.Â
"We we're behind in the count all night," said head coach Dan Hartleb. "We had to throw a lot of balls in hitters counts and they made us paid for it. It was disappointing."
Illinois (6-5) scored three runs in the fourth inning and three in the sixth to battle back from 3-0 and 5-3 deficits but Elon tallied with three in the fourth and five in the sixth. Doligale had three hits, Kellen Sarver and Nathan Aide both had two hits, and Cam McDonald added two RBIs, but it was not enough in just Illinois' second loss in the last seven games.Â
Elon (7-7) tied a season high with 16 hits on its way to its third double-digit scoring game of the season. Six members of the Phoenix's starting lineup had multiple hits, including three hits, two runs, and two RBIs from Alex Iadisernia out of the leadoff spot.
Illinois battled to get the tying run at the plate in the ninth inning, before Joe Sprake struck out the final two batters on six pitches to earn a save.
Kyle Greenler (2-0) threw 3 1/3 innings out of Elon's bullpen to get the win. He limited the Illini to one run on three hits after Illinois tagged starter Jared Wetherbee for five runs on eight hits.Â
Illinois will give the ball to freshman Cole Kirschsieper for Saturday's second game of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT at Latham Park.Â
Notes
• Illinois and Elon played for the first time ever.
• Branden Comia extended his career-long hitting streak to eight games and his career-long reached base streak to 16 games.Â
• Kellen Sarver extended his hitting streak to four games and reached base streak to five games.Â
• Danny Doligale extended his hitting streak to four games.
• Taylor Jackson snapped a 10-game reached base streak.Â
• Elon snapped a six-game losing streak.
