ELON, N.C. – After a three-run top of the sixth allowed Illinois to wrestle away the lead 6-5, Elon University baseball responded with five runs in the home half of the inning to secure a 10-6 win on Friday, March 6 at Latham Park.
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"Proud of the guys tonight," said head coach
Mike Kennedy. "I thought offensively we probably had our best night in regards to grinding out at bats and really making guys work. We knew their guy coming in was pretty special and had good stuff. We bought in to just trying to fight off pitches and did that all night. Got his pitch count up and got him out of there. Because of that, we were able to have a big inning later in the game. So I thought offensively we did some really good things to scratch runs across. It might not look real special in the box, but guys grinded out some hits, [Kyle] Greenler came in and gave us three solid innings with only a run, and [Joe] Sprake with the bases loaded comes in and gets two big punch outs."
AT THE PLATE
Eight different Phoenix batters collected a hit, with six turning in multi-hit efforts.
Alex Iadisernia finished 3-for-5 with a double, two runs, and two RBIs.
Joe Satterfield also went 3-for-5, doubled, and scored twice.
Jarrett Pico,
Anthony Galason,
Matt Oldham, and
Jack Roberts all hit 2-for-4.
Tyler Cranston singled in his lone at bat, and
Adam Spurlin had a 1-for-3 outing.
Tyler Stanley also stole safely in both of his attempts.Â
ON THE MOUND
Kyle Greenler (2-0) received the win after holding the Fighting Illini (6-5) to one run on three hits and a walk. The sophomore out of Georgetown, Mass. had one strikeout in 3.1 innings in relief.
Joe Sprake picked up his third save of the season as he struck out both batters he faced in the ninth. Starter
Jared Wetherbee went 5.0 innings in a no decision, allowing five runs on eight hits and three walks with five punch outs.
Owen Lorenz also made an appearance.
THE RUNDOWN
Iadisernia led off the bottom of the first with a single through the left side, Satterfield followed with a hit to left, and Galason singled to second to run the bases full. Oldam then put the Phoenix (7-7) on the board with a hit through the right side, scoring two. A passed ball then allowed Galason to come home from third as Elon took an early 3-0 lead. The Fighting Illini (6-5) pulled even with a three-run top of the fourth. A single through the left side with runners on the corners plated one run, and the ensuing batter doubled down the right-field line to drive in two more. The maroon and gold retook the lead in the home half of the frame. After Roberts reached on a hit through the right side, Spurlin doubled down the left-field line to move runners into scoring position with one out for Iadisernia. The Jackson, N.J. native grounded out to second to bring in Roberts. Pico then doubled to center but was out trying to stretch it into a triple. Spurlin did come around, though, and Elon went up 5-3.
UIUC posted another three-spot in the sixth to take its only lead in the game at 6-5. A leadoff double, a base on balls, and a sacrifice bunt moved runners into scoring position. The lead runner touched home on a fielder's choice, and a sac fly to center knotted the game at 5-5. Illinois then pulled ahead with a triple down the right-field line.
The lead was short-lived, however, as Elon erupted for five runs on five hits in the bottom of the sixth. Sponseller drew a leadoff walk and was run for by Stanley. The senior proceeded to steal second before coming around on a Roberts double to center. A Spurlin sac bunt advanced Roberts to third and Iadisernia drove in what would be the decisive run with a hit through the left side. Pico added an insurance run with a single down the left-field line. Later in the inning, Galason helped put the game out of reach with a two-RBI double to the gap in right.
The Fighting Illini applied the pressure in the ninth with one out and the bases loaded, but Sprake struck out one batter swinging and another looking to bring the game to a close.Â
NOTES
-Elon snaps a six-game losing streak.
-The Phoenix tied its season high with 16 hits and reached double-digit scoring for the third time this season.
-Elon's six doubles mark a new season high. It was also the season high last season as the 2019 Phoenix recorded six doubles twice.
-It was the third multi-hit game of the season for Iadisernia and the first three-hit game for the freshman.
-Stanley has now stolen successfully in 4-of-5 attempts.Â
-Entering today's game, Illinois pitchers Ty Weber and Ty Rybarczyk had allowed a combined three earned runs through 31.2 innings. The Phoenix tagged the pair for eight earned runs over 5.1 innings.
-Elon is now 12-16 against Big Ten opponents.
-The Phoenix raised its collective batting average from .229 to .245.
UP NEXT
The teams return tomorrow for a 2 p.m. start to Game Two.
– ELON –