TERRE HAUTE, Ind. --Â Illinois baseball (23-15) exploded for 20 hits at the plate, cruising to a 19-8 run-rule victory in seven innings over Indiana State (20-20), tonight at Bob Warn Field.
Drake Westcott turned in a monster performance at the dish, going 4-for-4 with three runs scored, two home runs, six RBI and a walk. Westcott now has 40 home runs in his Illini career, which matches him with Sean Mulligan (1989-91) for second-most all-time in program history. Jack Zebig (3-for-4), Collin Jennings (3-for-5) and Cameron Chee-Aloy (3-for-6) all had three-hit efforts, while six batters total posted multi-hit games.
Evan Clark picked up the victory out of the bullpen to improve to 1-0 on the season. Mitch Dye turned in another scoreless outing in relief, working 1.2 innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three. Reed Gannon tossed 1.2 shutout frames to finish the ballgame, yielding just one hit and punching out one.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Sycamores took a 3-0 lead their first time up to bat and kept the Illini off the board through three innings. The hosts threatened to score more in the frame by putting runners on first and second with one out but Dye struck out both batters he faced in the inning to strand the two inherited runners.
In the fourth, Illinois took the lead for good by scoring seven times on nine hits. Zebig started the scoring with an RBI-double and Kyle Schupmann followed with an RBI-single. Westcott cleared the bases with a towering three-run shot to center, his 39th long ball in his Illini career. Jennings capped the frame with a two-run double.
Indiana State pushed two more runs across in the bottom of the fourth to make it 7-5 but the Illinois offense responded with an eight-spot in the top of the fifth to take a commanding 15-5 lead. Coltin Quagliano picked up an RBI when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Will Johannes and Nick Groves kept the line moving with RBI-singles. Chee-Aloy and Vytas Valincius drew walks with the bases loaded and Schupmann tallied two more RBI with a single. Westcott picked up RBI No. 4 and 5 with a single to end Illinois' second-straight big inning.
The Sycamores scored three more times in the home-half of the fifth but the Orange and Blue were able to get one of those runs back when Jennings drove in a run with a groundout.
Illinois added three more runs in the seventh, with two coming off the bat of Westcott, who launched his second of home run of the night to right center, and Quagliano racing home on a wild pitch, to make it 19-8.
Gannon turned in a scoreless seventh inning to earn the Illini's sixth run-rule victory of the season.
UP NEXT
Illinois returns to Illinois Field and Big Ten play on Friday, when they welcome Purdue to Champaign for a three-game set. First pitch in Friday's opener is set for 6 p.m. CT.
GAME NOTES
» Drake Westcott went 4-for-4 with three runs scored, two home runs, six RBI and a walk.
    » Now has 40 home runs in his Illinois career...tied for second-most all-time in program history.
        » Just one of three players to reach the 40-homer mark.
    » First Illini with a four-hit game this season.
        » Matched his career-high in hits (May 6, 2023, vs. Michigan State).
    » First multi-HR game of the season and the eighth such game of his career.
» Jack Zebig went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, two doubles, an RBI and a walk.
    » Fourth three-hit game of the season.
    » Extended his on-base streak to 33 games.
» Collin Jennings went 3-for-5 with a run scored, a double and three RBI.
    » Extended his hitting streak to seven games.
» Every Illinois starter reached base safely in the win.
    » All nine batters recorded at least one RBI.
» Six Fighting Illini had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» The Fighting Illini out-hit the Sycamores at a 20-11 clip.
» Illinois went 9-for-18 (.500) with runners in scoring position.
» The Fighting Illini got three hits in five at-bats with the bases loaded.
» Illinois pitchers limited Indiana State to just 1-for-10 (.100) with runners in scoring position.
» Illinois pitchers faced 41 Indiana State hitters in the game, allowing 11 ground balls and five fly balls while striking out five.
» The Fighting Illini drew five walks from Indiana State pitching.
This story created through content automation technology from Data Skrive.
