CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Fighting Illini baseball (11-11, 1-3) mounted a furious rally late in the ballgame, but ultimately dropped their series opener to Michigan (14-11, 4-0), 12-9, to begin this three-game weekend set.
Michigan would jump out to a 6-0 lead to start the game, scoring three in the second, one in third and two more in the fourth. Illinois would break the run when Cam McDonald homered to straightaway center in the bottom of the fourth, his fourth of the year.
But the Wolverines would extend their lead to 9-1, scoring once in the fifth and two in the sixth. McDonald would pick up his second RBI of the game with a two-out single in the bottom half of the frame to make it 9-2.
The visitors pushed across three more runs in the seventh to make it a 12-2 game, but the Illini would not go quietly, slugging a pair of two-run blasts after the stretch. Camden Janik launched a no-doubter to left and Danny Doligale went the opposite way to left-center for his second home run of the season, making it a 12-6 game.
Illinois would push a run across in the eighth when Brody Harding singled home Ryan Moerman with two outs, making it a 12-7 game heading into the ninth.
The Illini played long ball again in the ninth when Gavin Bennett came off the bench and hit a pinch-hit, two-run home run, for the first big fly of his collegiate career, cutting the deficit to three, but the Orange and Blue were ultimately unable to push anymore runs across.
GAME NOTES
» Danny Doligale went 3-for-5 with three runs scored, a home run and two RBI in the game.
    » First three-hit game of the season.
    » Has four RBI in his last four games.
» Gavin Bennett hit a pinch-hit two-run home run in the ninth.
    » First pinch-hit home run by an Illini batter this season.
» Cam McDonald and Camden Janik each had two hits and two RBI in the ballgame.
» The Illini matched a season-high by slugging four home runs.
» Illinois went 2-for-4 (.500) with runners in scoring position.
» Illinois pitchers faced 46 Michigan hitters in the game, allowing 10 ground balls and 13 fly balls while striking out three.
This story created through content automation technology from Data Skrive.
