COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Illinois baseball (29-22, 14-15) used an eight-run eighth to power its way to a 18-9 victory over Ohio State (12-37, 4-25), today at Bill Davis Stadium.
Collin Jennings (2-for-4) and Kyle Schupmann (2-for-4) each slugged a pair of home runs and collected five RBI, and Jacob Schroeder (1-for-3) also went yard in the ballgame. All nine Illini starters recorded a hit in the contest and six drove in runs.
Regan Hall got the start on the mound and improved to 7-4 on the season. The left-hander went 6.0+ innings, allowing five runs on nine hits to go along with six punchouts. Reed Gannon turned in a scoreless inning of relief, allowing just one inherited runner to score in a bases-loaded, no-out, situation in the seventh.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Illinois jumped out to a 4-0 in the first, punctuated by a two-run double from Drake Westcott.
Hall retired the first seven batters he faced before the Buckeyes got on the board with a solo shot in the third and would add another run in the frame to cut the lead to 4-2.
Westcott earned his third RBI of the day in the fifth by drawing a walk with the bases loaded but two more runs from the hosts in the bottom of the inning made it a 5-2 game.
Jennings crushed a two-run shot in the sixth and Schupmann followed with a two-run blast of his own in the seventh to put the Orange and Blue up 9-4.
Ohio State would load the bases in the seventh with nobody out but Gannon, entering in relief, was able to allow just one run, keeping the Illini up 9-5.
Illinois would send 11 to the plate in the eighth, scoring eight times on seven hits. Jennings and Schupmann each recorded three-run homers and Schroeder slugged a two-run shot, pushing the lead to 17-5.
The Buckeyes would score four times in the bottom of the eighth before one more Illini run in the ninth, as Illinois cruised to an 18-9 win, claiming a series victory.
UP NEXT
The Fighting Illini wrap up regular season and Big Ten play tomorrow at Ohio State. First pitch in the series finale is set for 12 p.m. CT.
GAME NOTES
» Collin Jennings went 2-for-4 with four runs scored, two home runs, five RBI and two walks.
    » First-career multi-HR game.
    » Career-high four runs and matched his career high with five RBI.
» Kyle Schupmann went 2-for-4 with three runs scored, two home runs, five RBI and two walks.
    » Third multi-HR game of the season.
    » Career-high five RBI.
» Jacob Schroeder's home run was the 36th of his Illini career, 10th-most all-time in program history.
» Every Illinois starter reached base safely in the win.
» Four Fighting Illini had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» Illinois hitters hit five dingers in the ballgame.
» The Illini's 18 runs scored against the Buckeyes are the most in a single game by either team in series history.
    » Previous high: 17 runs (ILL), April 27, 1940
    » Today was the 219th all-time meeting (OSU leads, 110-107-2).
        » First game: June 14, 1904.
» The Fighting Illini out-hit the Buckeyes at a 13-12 clip.
» Illinois went 4-for-11 (.364) with runners in scoring position.
» Illinois pitchers faced 45 Ohio State hitters in the game, allowing 14 ground balls and six fly balls while striking out eight.
» The Fighting Illini drew 11 walks from Ohio State pitching.
    » Second time in the last three games that the Illini have drawn 11 walks.
This story created through content automation technology from Data Skrive.
