CONWAY, S.C. -- Illinois baseball (2-3) opened up its weekend at Coastal Carolina with a 17-9 defeat to the Chanticleers (3-2) Friday night at Springs Brooks Ballpark.
The Illini slugged back-to-back-to-back home runs in the first inning, thanks to Coltin Quagliano, Drake Westcott and Ryan Moerman going yard, which marked the first time since April 24, 1998, that Illinois has performed the feat.
Cal Hejza tallied a career-high three hits at the plate, driving in a run. Connor Milton and Ryan Moerman also had multi-hit performances, with the pair picking up two hits at the dish.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Illinois put four runs on the board in the first, playing long ball early. Camden Janik would work a two-out walk to extend the inning for Quagliano, who blasted a two-run homer to left-center, his first of the season. Westcott then followed with a solo blast, also to left center, which marked the first time the Illini went back-to-back this season. Moerman then launched his second long ball of the season to make it 4-0.
Coastal responded with three runs its first time up to immediately cut the Illini lead to one. Quagliano would grab one of those runs back in the top of the third, with a sacrifice fly for his third RBI of the game.
The Chanticleers scored again in the bottom of the fourth to make it 5-4, cutting the lead to one for a second time. After the Orange and Blue were held scoreless in the fifth, play was stopped after one batter in the home half of the inning due to inclement weather.
Once play resumed after a delay of 3:19, the hosts would score 10 times in the frame to take a 14-5 lead that they would not relinquish. Illinois scored twice in the seventh and Coastal added one more in the seventh.
The Illini added two runs in eighth thanks to an RBI double from Christian Smith. The Orange and Blue were unable to get any closer, as Coastal Carolina added two runs to their tally on the way to a 17-9 final.
GAME NOTES
» Cal Hejza went 3-for-5 with a run scored, a double and an RBI.
» First-career three-hit game.
» Second-straight multi-hit game...has hit safely in four-straight...has gone 7-for-17 (.412) during that span.
» Cameron Chee-Aloy went 1-for-3 to extend his hitting streak to five games.
» Has begun his career 5-for-16 (.313) at the plate.
» Coltin Quagliano went 1-for-2 with a run, home run and three RBI.
» Slugged his first home run of the season.
» Has hit safely in all five games this season...is batting 5-for-17 (.294)...extends his career-long hitting streak.
» Recorded a career-high three RBI.
» Collin Jennings came off the bench and drew a walk in each of his plate appearances.
» Has earned a walk in all three of his plate appearances this season.
» Jayden Comia recorded the first run and RBI of his Illini career.
» Christian Smith picked up his first hit of the season, an RBI-double in the eighth.
» Coltin Quagliano, Drake Westcott and Ryan Moerman became the first set of Illini teammates to hit back-to-back-to-back home runs since April 24, 1998.
» Illinois went 3-for-9 (.333) with runners in scoring position.
» Illinois pitchers faced 50 Coastal Carolina hitters in the game, allowing 11 ground balls and six fly balls while striking out seven.
» The Fighting Illini drew five walks from Coastal Carolina pitching.
» Tonight's time of game was 6:39, featuring a 3:19 weather delay.
This story created through content automation technology from Data Skrive.
