SEATTLEÂ --Â Illinois baseball (20-14, 9-7) dropped its series opener at Washington (20-19, 10-6), 3-1, last night at Husky Ballpark.
Tyler Schmitt (3-2) got the start for the Illini and was handed the loss. Schmitt allowed three runs, two earned, over 4.2 innings of work, picking up four strikeouts. Sam Reed was stellar out of the bullpen, turning in 3.1 shutout frames, yielding just one hit to go along with a season-high six strikeouts.
Drake Westcott went 1-for-2 with a walk and drove in the Orange and Blue's only run of the ballgame. Jacob Schroeder went 1-for-3 with a run scored and a double, tallying Illinois' only extra-base hit of the contest.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The two teams traded zeroes through the first two innings until Washington plated three in the third to take a 3-0 lead.
The Illini got one of those runs back when Westcott brought home Schroeder with two outs in the fifth.
Reed kept the Huskies from expanding their lead, stranding a pair of inherited runners in the fifth before turning in three-straight scoreless innings.
Trailing 3-1 entering the ninth, Collin Jennings started the frame with a walk but Illinois was unable to mount a late rally.
GAME NOTES
» Drake Westcott went 1-for-2 with an RBI and a walk.
» Jack Zebig drew a walk in the eighth inning to extend his on-base streak to 30 games.
» Sam Reed worked 3.1 shutout innings and allowed just one hit.
    » Amassed six strikeouts to set a season-high mark, which also matched his Illini career high (Feb. 24, 2024, vs. Cincinnati).
» Illinois pitchers faced 36 Washington hitters in the game, allowing three ground balls and 10 fly balls while striking out 10.
This story created through content automation technology from Data Skrive.
