CHAMPAIGN, Ill. --Â Illinois baseball (10-7) split its doubleheader vs. Valparaiso (4-11) today at Illinois Field to earn a series win in its final non-conference series of the season.
GAME 1 | Valparaiso 13, Illinois 10
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Beacons took a 1-0 lead after one but back-to-back solo shots from Vytas Valincius and Kyle Schupmann in the second gave the Illini a 2-1 lead.
Valpo would then score 12 unanswered runs, seven in the third and five in the fourth, making it a 13-2 game. In the bottom of the fourth, Schupmann launched a two-run homer to make it 13-4.
Cameron Chee-Aloy slugged a solo shot in the seventh and the Orange and Blue would push four runs across in the eighth to make it 13-9.
Payton Hutchings, Nolan Girard and Mitch Dye combined for 5.2 scoreless innings in relief, giving Illinois a chance to get back into the contest.
Jacob Schroeder would double home Coltin Quagliano in the ninth but the Fighting Illini were unable to push anymore runs across, ultimately falling 13-10.
GAME NOTES
» Kyle Schupmann went 3-for-5 with three runs scored, two home runs and three RBI.
    » First multi-HR game of his Illini career.
    » Has four HR in three games at Illinois Field.
    » Has three-straight multi-RBI games.
» Vytas Valincius went 2-for-5 with two runs, a home run and an RBI.
    » Has hit safely in five-straight games.
        » Has hit safely in 15 of 16 games this season.
    » Has driven in at least one run in four-straight games and in 12 of 15 contests.
» Collin Jennings went 2-for-4 with a run, double, triple, an RBI and a walk.
    » First-career multi-hit effort.
» Jacob Schroeder went 2-for-5 with a run, double and an RBI.
    » First multi-hit game of the season.
» Payton Hutchings turned in a scoreless relief outing.
    » 3.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R/ER, 1 BB, 2 SO
» Nolan Girard made his Illinois debut, working a scoreless eighth inning.
    » 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R/ER, 0 BB, 0 SO
» The Illini slugged a season-high four home runs in the contest.
» The Fighting Illini out-hit the Beacons at a 12-11 clip.
» Illinois pitchers limited Valparaiso to just 1-for-13 (.077) with runners in scoring position.
» Illinois pitchers faced 46 Valparaiso hitters in the game, allowing 12 ground balls and 10 fly balls while striking out four.
» The Fighting Illini drew five walks from Valparaiso pitching.
GAME 2 | Illinois 14, Valparaiso 4
HOW IT HAPPENED
Collin Jennings put Illinois in front with a solo blast in the second and the home side would score three times in the third to race out to a 4-0 lead. Grant Ross, Vytas Valincius and Jennings would all tally RBI-singles in the frame.
Regan Hall began his start strong, facing the minimum through the first three innings before yielding allowing two runs in the fourth. Hall would then face the minimum over the next two frames to earn his first quality start of the season.
In the bottom half of the fifth, Coltin Quagliano singled home a run and the Illini later added in the run in frame on a perfectly executed first-and-third stolen base play.
Illinois added two more in the sixth on a Jack Zebig sacrifice fly and Nick Groves scoring on an error following a double steal to make it 8-2.
Valparaiso scored twice in the top of the seventh inning to make it 8-4 but Illinois would score six times in the home half of the frame to earn a 14-4 run-rule victory. Will Johannes picked up an RBI single and Ross would draw a walk with the bases loaded. Zebig then came up and crushed a grand slam to right to earn the Illini's first walk-off victory of the season.
GAME NOTES
» Jack Zebig went 1-for-1 with two runs scored, a home run, five RBI and three walks.
    » Slugged his team leading fifth home run of the season.
        » Two of his five home runs have been grand slams.
    » Second game this season with at least five RBI.
    » Drew a season-high three walks.
» Cameron Chee-Aloy went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and two walks.
    » Third two-hit game of the season.
    » Season-high three runs scored.
    » Has drawn at least one walk in five-straight games.
        » Earned five three passes in the three-game series vs. Valpo.
» Grant Ross went 2-for-3 with two runs, two RBI and two walks.
    » Fifth game this season with multiple walks.
» Collin Jennings went 2-for-3 with two runs, with a home run, two RBI and a walk.
    » Back-to-back two-hit games for the first time in his career.
    » Collected three extra-base hits in three games vs. Valparaiso.
    » Has at least one RBI in three-straight games.
» Vytas Valincius extending his hitting streak to six games.
» Will Johannes posted the first multi-hit game of his Illini career.
» Every Illinois starter reached base safely in the win.
» Regan Hall tossed his first quality start of the season.
    » 6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R/ER, 1 BB, 2 SO
» Four Fighting Illini had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» The Fighting Illini out-hit the Beacons at a 12-5 clip.
» Illinois went 6-for-11 (.545) with runners in scoring position.
» Illinois pitchers faced 26 Valparaiso hitters in the game, allowing six ground balls and eight fly balls while striking out five.
» The Fighting Illini drew 11 walks from Valparaiso pitching.
This story created through content automation technology from Data Skrive.
