CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Fighting Illini baseball (11-12, 1-4) dropped their weekend series to Michigan (15-11, 5-0) with a 10-5 defeat on Saturday night.
Illinois would get on the board in the first when Ryan Moerman brought home Camden Janik with a single for the first of his three hits and three RBI in the contest. But the guests hit back in the second, scoring three times to take a 3-1 lead.
The Illini got one of those runs back in the second, when Moerman crushed an opposite-field solo shot to left to make it a one-run game.
Joe Glassey kept the game within reach with 5.2 stellar innings out of the bullpen, holding the Wolverines scoreless and allowing just two hits to go along with five strikeouts. Glassey faced just three batters over the minimum and retired the five batters he faced. He also had a stretch of 10-straight retired in his outing, turning in 1-2-3 innings in the fourth and fifth, as well as in the seventh to end his night.
Glassey's efforts were rewarded in the bottom of the seventh when Danny Doligale went deep for the second time in as many games to bring the Illini level.
The Wolverines took back the lead in the eighth, pushing across the go-ahead run across with two outs and then broke the game wide open with a six-run ninth to take a 10-3 lead.
The Illini would score two runs with their final at-bats, RBI-singles from Moerman and Cam McDonald, but it was not enough as the visitors held on for the victory.
GAME NOTES
» Ryan Moerman went 3-for-5 with a run, home run and three RBI.
    » Has multi-hit games in three of his last five, including two three-hit performances.
    » Has raised his average from .284 to .326 over his last six games.
    » Has homered in three of his last four games.
» Danny Doligale went 2-for-4 with two runs, a home run and an RBI.
    » Has homered in consecutive games for the first time in his career.
» Branden Comia walked twice and was hit by a pitch.
    » Has been hit a team-high six times this season.
» Joe Glassey turned in 5.2 scoreless innings in relief.
    » 5.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R/ER, 1 BB, 5 SO
    » Has not allowed a run over his last 6.0 innings of work (2 G).
» Third time this season that Illini have hit multiple home runs in consecutive games.
    » Illinois entered the series 7-1 when hitting more than one home run in a game.
» Every Fighting Illini starter reached base safely in the loss.
» Illinois left 10 runners stranded on base in the loss.
» Illinois went 3-for-8 (.375) with runners in scoring position.
» Illinois pitchers faced 46 Michigan hitters in the game, allowing nine ground balls and nine fly balls while striking out eight.
» The Fighting Illini drew six walks from Michigan pitching.
This story created through content automation technology from Data Skrive.
