WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Fighting Illini baseball (2-1) split today's doubleheader, defeating Youngstown State (0-3), 10-5, before falling to No. 6 Wake Forest (2-0), 8-1.
Game 1: Illinois 10, Youngstown State 5
Illinois captured a 10-5 win over Youngstown State to start the season 2-0 for the first time since the 2019 campaign.
The Penguins took a 1-0 lead just three batters in off of a solo home run, but the Illini tied up the ballgame in the second when Camden Janik led off the frame with a solo home run of his own, his first of the season.
Illinois would take the lead in the third, when Drake Westcott doubled home Danny Doligale. Youngstown State would tie the game again in its half of the inning with its second solo shot of the contest.
The Illini would take the lead for good in the sixth, when Jacob Schroeder crushed a three-run blast to right-center for the first hit of his Illinois career. Schroeder would end the game going 2-for-4.
The Orange and Blue would pour it on in the eighth, scoring five more times to push the lead to 10-3. Schroeder opened the scoring on a passed ball, while Branden Comia and Cam McDonald each singled with the bases loaded. Ryan Moerman capped the scoring with an RBI-double.
Jack Wenninger earned the win in his first start of the season, allowing two runs on four hits in 5.0 innings of work to go along with a career-high 11 strikeouts. Joe Glassey worked 3.2 innings and allowed three runs on three hits with five strikeouts of his own. John Lundgren made his Illinois debut, striking out the lone batter he faced to close the game.
Game 2: #6 Wake Forest 8, Illinois 1
Illinois fell in the 'nightcap' of the doubleheader, 8-1, to No. 6 Wake Forest.
Facing off against highly-touted right-hander Rhett Lowder, the Illini jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the first, when Ryan Moerman doubled home Danny Doligale with two outs.
That was all the offense Illinois would get in the contest, as Lowder and left-hander Sean Sullivan combined for 20 strikeouts.
The Demon Deacons drew a bases loaded walk in the second to tie the game at 1-1 before scoring four runs in the fifth and adding another in the sixth to make it 6-1. Wake Forest would go on to add two more in the eighth.
Jack Crowder got the start for the Illini, allowing just one run and one hit with three strikeouts in 4.0 innings of work, but issued six walks.
UP NEXT
Illinois wraps up this four-game set in Winston-Salem with its second game against Wake Forest. First pitch is slated for 11:30 a.m. CT.
GAME NOTES
» With the win over Youngstown State, head coach Dan Hartleb now has 509 wins and is now 10 wins away from passing Lee Eilbracht (518) for most wins in program history.
» Ryan Moerman has a team-high five RBI through three games.
    » Four of those RBI have come with two outs.
    » Moerman is currently slugging .667
» Jacob Schroeder went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in his Illini debut.
    » First Illini batter with a three RBI game this season.
» Branden Comia reached base safely in both contests, extending his on-base streak to 43 games.
» The Illini drew a season-high nine walks against Youngstown State.
    » Brody Harding earned three free passes while Danny Doligale had two.
        » Doligale is currently reaching base at a .500 clip.
» Illinois posted its first double-digit hit total of the season (10) in the opener against Youngstown State.
» The Illini have scored first inning runs in two of their first three games this season.
» Illinois' 17 strikeouts against Youngstown State were its most in a game since also fanning 17 against Northwestern on March 26, 2021.
    » The Illini pitching staff recorded double-digit strikeout totals in the opening two games of a season in three-straight years.
» Four Illini batters recorded multi-hit efforts in today's doubleheader opener against Youngstown State.
» Danny Doligale was the lone Illinois batter to reach safely twice against Wake Forest, tallying his first multi-hit game of the season.
    » Doligale is currently reaching base at a .538 clip in the lead-off spot.
» Jack Wenninger struck out a career-high 11 batters in his first start of the season.
    » His previous career-high mark was five.
