PEORIA, Ill. -- Illinois baseball (26-16) got back into the win column with a 5-2 win over Bradley (9-30), tonight at Dozer Park. Â
The Illini got strong efforts from their arms, led by Ryan Daly's start. Daly tossed 4.0 shutout innings, allowing just one hit while striking out for batters. Sam Reed picked up the win in relief, tossing 1.0 scoreless frames, to improve to 3-0 on the season. The Orange and Blue also got scoreless outings from Jake Swartz, Reed Gannon and Mitch Dye, who earned his first save of the season.
Collin Jennings provided all the offense, going 2-for-5 with a run, double, home run and five RBI. Vytas Valincius (2-for-3) also had a multi-hit effort and Nick Groves drew three walks.
HOW IT HAPPENED
For the fourth-straight game, Illinois got on the board in the first inning. Groves began the game with a walk and Cameron Chee-Aloy followed by reaching on an error. Jennings cleared the bases with a two-run double to put the Illini ahead 2-0.
Daly cruised through the first three innings of his start, facing just one batter over the minimum, picking up four strikeouts along the way.
Jennings increased Illinois advantage with a three-run shot in the fourth, his team-leading 11th home run of the season, to make it 5-0.
Daly worked a quick 1-2-3 inning in the bottom the fourth before turning the ball over to Reed in the fifth, who worked a perfect frame.
The Braves got two runs back in the sixth to make it 5-2, but Luke Weber got a big double play to end the inning and limit the damage.
Swartz and Gannon worked scoreless seventh and eighth innings before handing the ball over to Dye, who worked a perfect ninth inning, whiffing two, to give Illinois the 5-2 win.
UP NEXT
The Fighting Illini return to Big Ten play on Friday, when they begin a three-game series at Rutgers. First pitch from Bainton Field on Friday is set for 5 p.m. CT.
GAME NOTES
» Collin Jennings went 2-for-5 with a run, double, home run and five RBI.
    » Now leads the Illini with 11 home runs this season.
    » His five RBI are a new career-high mark.
        » Has 12 RBI in his last five games.
» Vytas Valincius went 2-for-3 with two walks.
    » Now has 17 multi-hit games on the season.
» Nick Groves went 0-for-2 with two runs scored and three walks.
    » Tied for the team lead with 30 walks this season.
» Jack Zebig had his 36-game on-base streak snapped.
» Ryan Daly turned in the best outing of his Illinois career.
    » 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R/ER, 0 BB, 4 SO
» Mitch Dye earned the first save of his Illinois career.
    » 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R/ER, 0 BB, 2 SO
    » Has not allowed an earned run in his last 6.1 innings, spanning five games.
        » Has 10 strikeouts compared to just three walks during that span.
» Illinois pitchers faced 33 Bradley hitters in the game, allowing nine ground balls and six fly balls while striking out 10.
» The Fighting Illini drew eight walks from Bradley pitching.
This story created through content automation technology from Data Skrive.
