CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois secured its first home win of the season with a 13-9 victory over Lindenwood at Illinois Field on Wednesday night.
The Fighting Illini used big innings in the fourth and fifth frames to improve to 4-4, while home runs from Collin Jennings and Will Johannes fueled the Orange and Blue offense.
Johannes went 2-for-4 with three RBI while hitting his fourth homer of the season, while Jennings posted a 2-for-4 day at the plate with two runs and two RBI.
AJ Putty drove in three runs and recorded two hits in the win, while Michael Farina logged a 2-for-4 night with two RBI.
The Illini opened the scoring in the third inning before the Lions took the lead in the top half of the fourth.
Illinois responded with five runs of its own in the home half of the frame. Jennings crushed his second home run of the season before RBI from the top half of the order – Groves, Farina, and Putty – gave the Orange and Blue a 6-5 advantage.
After the Lions went back in front in the fifth, the Illini answered with five more runs in the home half of the inning. Johannes' three-run shot put the home side in front before a wild pitch and Putty triple saw Illinois establish an 11-7 edge.
The Illini added two insurance runs in the seventh after Farina hit an RBI double down the left-field line before scoring on a wild pitch.
Lindenwood rallied for two runs in the top of the ninth, but it was not enough as the Illini improved to 4-4 this season.
GAME NOTES
- Nick Groves went 1-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored.
- Extended his on-base streak to 20 games.
- Has scored multiple runs in three games this season.
- Michael Farina finished 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBI.
- Has reached base in each of his first eight games as an Illini.
- Has multiple hits in four games.
- Drove in a season-high two runs.
- AJ Putty went 2-for-4 with three RBI.
- Has multiple hits in back-to-back games and in four outings overall.
- Drove in multiple runs for the fifth time.
- Daniel Contreras went 1-for-5.
- Has a hit in seven of the last eight games.
- Has reached base successfully in seven straight games.
- Kyle Schupmann collected a 1-for-3 day at the plate.
- Extended his on-base streak to 19 games.
- Scored multiple runs for the fourth time.
- Collin Jennings went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI.
- Has a hit in each of the last six games.
- Had multiple hits for the third time.
- Hit his second home run of the season.
- Drove in multiple runs for the first time this season
- Will Johannes went 2-for-4 with three RBI and a home run.
- Hit his fourth home run of the season and the eighth of his Illini career.
- Has a HR in back-to-back games.
- Has multiple hits in three games this season.
- Has driven in multiple runs five times this season.
- Tied his season-high with three RBI.
- Sam Mommer earned the start, going two innings while facing the minimum six batters and striking out two.
- Richie LaCien logged his first Illini appearance, throwing two innings while allowing one hit and zero runs.
- The Illini have multiple home runs in five games this season.
- Illinois has scored double-digit runs in back-to-back games.
- The Illini have 10+ runs in three games this season.
- The Illini have 10+ hits in six of their eight games this season.
UP NEXT
Illinois returns to action this weekend at the First Pitch Invitational in Greenville, S.C. The Illini will take on Michigan State, Charleston, and Albany during the three-day event at the Greenville Drive's Fluor Field, starting with a nonconference clash against the Spartans on Friday at 1 p.m. CT.
