PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Illinois baseball (26-19, 12-12) could not avoid a sweep at Rutgers (24-24, 12-12), falling 12-5 in the series finale today at Bainton Field.
Reed Gannon (1-2) got the ball to start for the Illini and took the loss. Zach Bates turned in another stellar relief effort, throwing 1.2 scoreless innings, and striking out three, retiring all five batters that he faced.
Vytas Valincius and Jack Zebig each went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Cameron Chee-Aloy went 1-for-3 with three runs scored and two walks.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Illinois took a 2-0 lead in the first, with Nick Groves scoring on a wild pitch and Zebig driving in Chee-Aloy with a single, but Rutgers got both of those runs back its first time to the plate.
The Scarlet Knights then took the lead for good with a four-spot in the second to make it 6-2.
Kyle Schupmann collected an RBI with a bases-loaded walk in the third but the Scarlet Knights scored one in the fourth on a solo home run to keep a four-run advantage.
Valincius drove in a run in the fifth and Coltin Quagliano also picked up an RBI with the Illini's second bases-loaded of the contest but the Orange and Blue would leave the bases loaded in the frame.
The Scarlet Knights would score five more times in the ballgame and would ultimately go on to hand Illinois the 12-5 defeat.
UP NEXT
The Fighting Illini return to Illinois Field on Tuesday, where they host Bradley for a midweek contest. First pitch from Champaign is set for 6 p.m. CT.
GAME NOTES
» Zach Bates retired all five of the batters he faced out of the bullpen.
    » 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R/ER, 0 BB, 5 SO
    » Has not allowed an earned run in his last 5.0 IP, spanning five games.
        » Has allowed just one earned run in his last 14.1 IP, spanning 10 games...has struck out 18 batters in those 10 appearances.
    » Has whiffed at least two batters in four-straight outings.
» Illinois went 3-for-6 (.500) with runners in scoring position.
» Illinois pitchers faced 39 Rutgers hitters in the game, allowing seven ground balls and 11 fly balls while striking out six.
» The Fighting Illini drew nine walks from Rutgers pitching.
This story created through content automation technology from Data Skrive.
