CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois baseball (8-11) received contributions from every part a lineup that slugged three home runs, helping the Fighting Illini to a 12-10 win over Bradley (6-13) tonight at Illinois Field.
Payton Hutchings picked up the victory out of the bullpen for the Illini. The left-hander tossed 2.1 shutout innings striking out six of the seven batters that he faced. Ben Plumley also made an impact on the mound, working 2.0 scoreless frames while allowing one hit and punching out two.
Camden Janik fell just a double shy of the cycle, going 3-for-5 with two runs, a triple, home run and two RBI. Cal Hejza and Jacob Schroeder both went yard, with the duo each hitting a two-run home run and five different Illini had multi-hit performances.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Braves plated a run their first time up to take an early lead but Janik's solo blast in the bottom half of the inning tied the game and the Illini would take a 2-1 lead after Drake Westcott scored on a passed ball.
Bradley scored six times in the second to make it 7-2, but Illinois chipped away at the lead with two more in the second through a Cameron Chee-Aloy RBI-single and a Janik RBI-triple, making it 7-4.
The visitors added one more run in the third before Hutchings took over on the mound. The Coal City, Ill., native struck out the first batter he faced to end the inning and then punched out the side in the fourth. Hutchings then kept the Braves off the board in the fifth, picking up two more strikeouts.
Illinois then used a six-spot of their own in the fifth to take a 10-8 lead. Ryan Moerman started the scoring by drawing a walk with the bases loaded and Coltin Quagliano followed with a two-run single, cutting the lead to one. Moerman tied the game by scoring on a wild pitch and Hejza gave the Illini the lead for good with a two-run shot, his first of the season.
Schroeder would double the lead with his two-run homer in the seventh, which would prove to be decisive as Bradley would score twice in the ninth, but Illinois would hold on for the 12-10 win.
GAME NOTES
» Camden Janik went 3-for-5 with two runs, a triple, home run and two RBI.
» Third three-hit game of the season.
» Vytas Valincius went 2-for-4 with a run, double and a walk.
» Extended his hitting streak to five games...has gone 6-for-16 (.375) during that span.
» Has hit safely in 10 of his last 11 overall.
» Cameron Chee-Aloy went 2-for-5 with a run and an RBI.
» Has reached base safely in 16 of 17 games this season.
» Coltin Quagliano went 2-for-5 with two runs and two RBI.
» Leads team with 18 RBI.
» Jacob Schroeder went 1-for-4 with a run, home run and two RBI.
» Has homered in consecutive games for the first time this season.
» Payton Hutchings earned his second win of the season in relief.
» 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R/ER, 0 BB, 6 SO
» Season-high in innings pitched and a career-high six strikeouts.
» Ben Plumley worked 2.0 scoreless innings.
» Has a 3.2 inning scoreless streak, spanning two games...has allowed just one hit and fanned three during that span.
» Every Illinois starter reached base safely in the win.
» Five Fighting Illini had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» Illinois went 5-for-11 (.455) with runners in scoring position.
» Illinois pitchers faced 44 Bradley hitters in the game, allowing seven ground balls and eight fly balls while striking out 11.
» The Fighting Illini drew four walks from Bradley pitching.
» Janik led the Fighting Illini at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a triple, a home run and two RBI.
This story created through content automation technology from Data Skrive.
