CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas -- Illinois baseball (2-1) used a six-run eighth to rally past Abilene Christian (1-2) and earn a series win, today at Whataburger Field.
Greg LaChance's two-out, two-run, single broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth and Drake Westcott followed by crushing a two-run shot, his second home run in as many games, to give the Illini some insurance.
Julius Sanchez dazzled on the mound in his first start of the season, tossing 7.0 innings of one-run ball to go along with a career-high 10 strikeouts. Ryan Daly would pick up the win out of the bullpen, allowing just one run over 2.0 innings.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After Sanchez began the game with a scoreless frame, the Illini looked poised to put a crooked number up on the scoreboard by loading the bases with no outs but the Wildcats were able to escape the jam unscathed.
The teams traded zeroes in the second before the Wildcats opened the scoring in the third, taking a 1-0 lead.
Abilne Christian was able to keep the Illinois bats quiet throughout the game, allowing just two baserunners from the third to the seventh.
Sanchez's brilliance on the mound kept the Orange and Blue in the contest, as the junior retired the side in order in the fourth and the fifth inning before concluding his quality start with two punchouts in each the sixth and seventh inning.
The Wildcats would manage to push one more run across the plate in the eighth to make it 2-0.
Jack Zegib snapped a run of 12-straight Illini batters retired by leading off the eighth with a single. Will Johannes was hit by a pitch and Cameron Chee-Aloy followed with a bunt single. Nick Groves picked up an RBI by drawing a bases-loaded walk to make it a 2-1 contest. Vytas Valincius then tied the ballgame by scoring Chee-Aloy with a sacrifice fly. LaChance would then step up to the plate with two on and two out and single through the left side of the infield, making it 4-2. Westcott then stepped up and clobbered the first pitch he saw over the wall in right, making it 6-2 and giving Illinois some extra insurance.
Daly would close out the game with a 1-2-3 ninth to give the Illini the win.
UP NEXT
Illinois baseball returns to action on Friday to begin a three-game set with Texas State in San Marcos, Texas. First pitch in the series opener is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.
GAME NOTES
» Cameron Chee-Aloy went 2-for-4 wtih a run and a double.
  » Extended his hitting streak to 18 games and his on-base streak to 22 games.
        » Has reached base safely in 33 of 34 career games.
        » Has gone 31-for-74 (.419) with six doubles, a triple, a home run and 14 RBI during his hitting streak.
» Drake Westcott went 1-for-4 with a run, home run and two RBI.
    » Homered for the 36th time in his Illinois career, moving past Brian McClure (1993-96) for eighth-most all-time in program history.
» Julius Sanchez took no decision in his first start of the season.
    » 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R/ER, 1 BB, 10 SO
    » First quality start of the season and the second of his career (May 2, 2023 at Indiana State)
    » First Illini pitcher with 10 strikeouts in a start since Cooper Omans on March 12, 2024 at Indiana State
» Ryan Daly picked up the win out of the bullpen in his Illinois debut.
    » 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R/ER, 0 BB, 2 SO
» The Illinois pitching staff combined to strike out 12 Abilene Christian hitters.
    » First game with double-digit strikeouts this season.
» Illinois' highest scoring inning was the eighth, when it pushed six runs across.
    » The Illini posted two innings this series of at least six runs (7, 7th inning, Feb. 15)
» The Fighting Illini out-hit the Wildcats at a 7-5 clip.
» Illinois went 4-for-9 (.444) with runners in scoring position.
» Illinois pitchers limited Abilene Christian to just 1-for-6 (.167) with runners in scoring position.
» Illinois pitchers faced 32 Abilene Christian hitters in the game, allowing 11 ground balls and two fly balls while striking out 12.
This story created through content automation technology from Data Skrive.
