CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois baseball (23-13, 10-2) defeated Northwestern (12-23, 2-10), 11-7, today to complete the series sweep at Illinois Field. The Illini have now won seven-straight games, matching their season-high mark.
Coltin Quagliano went 4-for-5 with two runs and three RBI to lead Illinois at the plate. Connor Milton continued his stellar play, going 3-for-5 with two runs, a double, home run and three RBI. Camden Janik also provided some power, slugging a grand slam.
Regan Hall picked up the victory out of the bullpen, improving to 2-1 on the season. The left-hander worked 5.0, allowing two runs, on one hit, and striking out three. Korey Bunselmeyer also had a scoreless relief outing, tossing 1.1 frames while yielding just one hit, with no walks and one strikeout.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Northwestern took a 1-0 lead in the first but Illinois would eventually tie the game in the second on an RBI-single from Quagliano.
Hall put zeroes up on the scoreboard in the second, third and fourth innings to keep it a 1-1 ballgame.
Quagliano would give the Illini the lead in the bottom half of the fourth with his second RBI-single of the game and Milton would add to the lead with a three-run blast, his third of the series, to make it 5-1.
An RBI-single from Jacob Schroeder in the fifth made it 6-1, but Northwestern cut into the lead with two runs in their half of the sixth. Illinois would get those runs back in the home half of the inning when Janik blasted a grand slam to left, making it 10-3.
The Wildcats got within 10-4 but the Illini scored again in the eighth a third RBI-single from Quagliano. Northwestern put three runs on the board in the ninth but the Illinois cruised to the 11-7 win and sweep the series.
UP NEXT
The Fighting Illini close out their season-long eight-game homestand with a midweek contest vs. Western Illinois on Tuesday. First pitch from Illinois Field is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.
GAME NOTES
» Coltin Quagliano went 4-for-5 with two runs and three RBI.
    » First-career four-hit game.
    » Leads the team with 40 RBI...tied for seventh-most among Big Ten hitters.
    » Extended his hitting streak to 15 games...has gone 29-for-57 (.509) with six doubles, three home runs and 22 RBI during that span.
        » Has raised his season average from .229 to .343 during that span.
» Connor Milton went 3-for-5 with two runs, a double, home run and three RBI.
    » Had multi-hit performances in all three games of the series...has at least three hits in each of his last two games.
    » Is on a three-game hitting streak, matching his career-long streak.
    » Homered in consecutive contests for the first time in his career.
» Regan Hall improved to 2-1 on the season, picking up the win out of the bullpen.
    » 5.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R/ER, 3 BB, 3 SO, HBP
» Korey Bunselmeyer tossed 1.1 scoreless frames in relief.
    » Has not allowed an earned run in his last 7.0 innings (5 G).
» Four Fighting Illini had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» The Fighting Illini out-hit the Wildcats at a 14-5 clip.
» Illinois went 6-for-12 (.500) with runners in scoring position.
» Illinois pitchers limited Northwestern to just 2-for-10 (.200) with runners in scoring position.
» Illinois pitchers faced 41 Northwestern hitters in the game, allowing 10 ground balls and seven fly balls while striking out eight.
» The Fighting Illini drew five walks from Northwestern pitching.
» Illinois picked up its seventh-straight victory, matching its season high.
» The Illini have won 12-straight Big Ten contests at Illinois Field, dating back to last season.
    » Longest such streak since winning 18-straight from May 2, 2014, to March 26, 2016.
» Illinois improves to 14-1 at Illinois Field this season...have won 12-straight home contests.
This story created through content automation technology from Data Skrive.
