CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois dropped the final game of the Big Ten opening weekend series against Michigan State at Illinois Field Sunday afternoon. Outfielder Taylor Jackson went 2-for-4 with two RBI to lead the Illini at the plate. Cam McDonald picked up his team-high 24th RBI with a double down the left field line in the fourth inning which also extended his hitting streak to 19 games. McDonald has reached base in every game this season.
Michigan State (11-9, 1-2) scored three runs in the second inning and another two in the third, but Illinois (10-11, 2-1) responded with three runs in the top of the fourth to pull within two of the Spartans. Sophomore LHP Alex Vera entered in relief of RHP Jack Crowder and threw 3.2 scoreless innings, giving up just three hits. The Illini bullpen held Michigan State to zero runs in the final seven frames of the ballgame, but the offense was unable to bring a run across to spark a comeback.
Illinois travels to Sauget, Illinois on Tuesday to take on Missouri in a neutral site game against the Tigers. The game will be played at GCS Credit Union Ballpark and will begin at 6 p.m. CT.
NOTES
• Cam McDonald has hit safely in 19 consecutive games and has reached base in every game this season (21 game on-base streak).
• Illinois is now 2-1 to start Big Ten conference play.Â
• Taylor Jackson recorded his first multi-hit and multi-RBI game of the season.
• Illinois recorded less than 10 hits for the first time in five games.
• The temperature was 30 degrees at the start of the game.
