COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Illinois baseball (25-13, 11-2) opened its Big Ten Series at Maryland with a 7-4 victory today at Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium. The Illini extended their season-high winning streak to nine games and have also won their last four conference contests.
Jack Crowder started on the mound and picked up the win by tossing his third-straight quality start. The right-hander went 6.0 innings, yielding just two runs on two hits while striking out five. Ben Plumley tossed 2.0 scoreless frames out of the bullpen, punching out two. Joe Glassey stranded a pair of runners in the ninth to earn his fifth save of the season.
Coltin Quagliano went 2-for-4 with a run, home run and two RBI with Camden Janik also picking up a pair of hits, going 2-for-4 with a run and three RBI. Brody Harding also had a multi-hit performance going 2-for-5 with a run, double and an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Fighting Illini got on the board immediately, starting their scoring with one run in the top of the first inning. Cal Hejza led off the inning with a double and Janik brought him home with a single.
Illinois pushed another run across in the second when Quagliano singled home Brody Harding, who also started the inning with a double.
Crowder kept Maryland off the board in the first two innings and did not allow a hit.
The Terrapins halved the lead with a run in the third but the Illini responded with three runs in the fourth. Janik's second hit of the ballgame brought home two runs and he would race home on a passed ball to make it 5-1.
Two more shutout innings for Crowder in the fourth and fifth allowed Illinois to build on its lead in the sixth. Quaglinao blasted a solo shot to left center to make it 6-1.
Maryland added a run in the sixth on a solo home run, but Crowder retired the next two batters to end the rally attempt.
The Illini added another run in the seventh when Harding delivered a clutch two-out RBI single to push the lead to 7-1.
The Terrapins put two runs on the scoreboard in the ninth and would bring the tying run to the plate with two outs, but Joe Glassey was able to retire the lone batter he faced to pick up the save and give the Orange and Blue the 7-4 win.
UP NEXT
The Fighting Illini's series at Maryland continues tomorrow, with first pitch from Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium set for 12 p.m. CT.
GAME NOTES
» Coltin Quagliano went 2-for-4 with a run, home run and two RBI.
» Extended his career-best hitting streak to 17 games...has gone 32-for-65 (.492) with six doubles, five home runs and 25 RBI during that span.
» Has raised his season average from .229 to .345 during that span.
» Camden Janik went 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI.
» Extended his hitting streak to five games...has gone 9-for-21 (.429) during that span with two doubles, a home run and eight RBI.
» Brody Harding went 2-for-5 with a run, double and an RBI.
» Has hit safely in 10 of his last 12 games.
» Ryan Moerman went 2-for-3 with a walk.
» Has back-to-back two-hit games.
» Cal Hejza went 1-for-5 with two runs and a double.
» Extended his on-base streak to 23 games.
» Jack Crowder improved to 4-1 on the season by tossing his third-straight quality start.
» 6.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R/ER, 3 BB, 5 SO, 1 HR
» Fifth time this season working 6.0+ innings.
» Illini improved to 8-3 in games that he pitches...have won seven-straight.
» Ben Plumley tossed 2.0 shutout frames in relief.
» Has not allowed a run in his last 7.0 innings (5 G).
» The Illini have won seven-straight series opener.
» Illinois' nine-game winning streak is their longest since winning 10-straight from March 2-19, 2019.
» The Illini are just the third team to win a game at this facility this season.
» Just the second team to win a series opener at Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium this season.
» Illinois snapped a two-game losing skid to Maryland with the win.
» Improve to 5-2 at this facility all time.
» Four Fighting Illini had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» The Fighting Illini out-hit the Terrapins at a 10-6 clip.
» Illinois pitchers limited Maryland to just 2-for-12 (.167) with runners in scoring position.
» Illinois pitchers faced 38 Maryland hitters in the game, allowing nine ground balls and 10 fly balls while striking out seven.
» The Fighting Illini drew five walks from Maryland pitching.
» Illinois stole four bases tonight, matching a season-high mark.
This story created through content automation technology from Data Skrive.
