CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois baseball (20-13, 9-6) earned a 15-1 run-rule victory over Indiana (20-16, 10-8), in seven innings, today at Illinois Field. The Illini claimed a third-straight series win in Big Ten play with the triumph.
Regan Hall improved to 4-2 by tossing the first complete game of his career. The left-hander went 7.0 innings, allowing one run on four hits to go along with one walk and one strikeout.
Vytas Valincius had a huge day at the plate, going 3-for-5 with three runs scored, three doubles and seven RBI. Kyle Schupmann also put together a three-hit effort, going 3-for-5 with a run and two RBI.
Eight of the nine Illinois starters tallied a hit in the ballgame, with five putting together multi-hit performances. The 14-run margin of victory is the largest by the Illini over the Hoosiers since a 15-run win on April 27, 1951.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Indiana threatened to take the lead in the first by putting two on with one out, but Hall was able to induce a 5-4-3 double play to get out of the inning. Illinois took that momentum to the plate, with Valincius making it 3-0 with a bases-clearing double.
After Hall turned in a scoreless second, the Illini plated five more runs, taking control of the contest. Collin Jennings was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Valcincius followed by clearing the bases for the second time, bringing his RBI total to six after just two trips to the plate. Schupmann capped the scoring in the frame with an RBI-single to make it 8-0.
Hall had more than enough run support as he faced just two batters over the minimum from the third to the sixth, allowing just two hits.
The Orange and Blue put runs on the board in every inning, scoring one in the fourth, four in the fifth and one more in the sixth to make it 15-0.
Indiana was able to score once in the seventh but Illinois still cruised to the 15-1 victory to take the series.
UP NEXT
The Fighting Illini conclude this four-game home stand with a midweek contest vs. SIUE on Tuesday. First pitch from Illinois Field is set for 6 p.m. CT.
GAME NOTES
» Vytas Valincius went 3-for-5 with three runs scored, three doubles and seven RBI.
» Set career-high marks in doubles and RBI.
» First Illini to hit three doubles and reach seven RBI this season.
» Extended his hitting streak to eight games...has gone 17-for-32 (.531) with seven doubles, a home run and 15 RBI.
» Has six multi-hit games during that span...has raised his season batting average from .305 to .362.
» Fifth three-hit game of the season.
» Kyle Schupmann went 3-for-5 with a run and two RBI.
» Sixth three-hit game of the season.
» Second-straight three-hit game...has six hits in last two games after having six in previous nine.
» Cameron Chee-Aloy reached safely in all five plate appearances today, going 2-for-2 with three runs, an RBI, two walks and was hit by a pitch.
» Regan Hall tossed the first complete game of his career to improve to 4-2 on the season.
» 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R/ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
» Has thrown two-straight quality starts...has three such starts during the campaign.
» 13.1 IP, 8 H, 1 R/ER, 2 BB, 7 SO in last two starts.
» Every Illinois starter reached base safely in the win.
» Hall put together seven innings of one-run ball for the Fighting Illini.
» Five Fighting Illini had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» The Fighting Illini out-hit the Hoosiers at a 15-4 clip.
» Illinois went 8-for-19 (.421) with runners in scoring position.
» The Fighting Illini got two hits in five at-bats with the bases loaded.
» Illinois pitchers limited Indiana to just 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.
» Illinois pitchers faced 26 Indiana hitters in the game, allowing 11 ground balls and eight fly balls while striking out one.
» The Fighting Illini drew seven walks from Indiana pitching.
This story created through content automation technology from Data Skrive.
