By: Illinois College outhit Millikin in the game, 8-6, but a three-run fourth inning was the difference as the Big Blue escaped with a 4-1 win.
Box Score
JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – The Illinois College baseball team managed to outhit Millikin University, 8-6, in the game, but the Blueboys couldn't string together the hits when they needed to in a 4-1 loss to the Big Blue. IC falls to 7-4 on the season, while Millikin upped its record to 9-4 overall.
Seeing his first action of the season,
Quinn Miller looked good until the fourth inning. Up to that point, Millikin had managed just two hits on the sophomore, and one of those was quickly erased on an inning-ending double play in the third. In the meantime, the Blueboys put runners aboard in each of the first three innings, but couldn't advance anyone past second against Millikin starter Connor Gross.
The Big Blue put together a two-out rally in the fourth inning, starting out with no one on, but helped along by consecutive walks and a hit by pitch from Miller to load the bases. Luke McConnell then deposited a single back up the middle to score two runs and Luke Azzarelli did the same to bring another run home.
Illinois College continued to get runners aboard, but couldn't get anything going. The Blueboys stranded base runners in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, leading to a solo blast from Millikin's Mason Bruce to increase the Big Blue advantage to 4-0 in the top of the seventh.
Down to their final out in the bottom of the ninth, the Blueboys finally got on the board when
Brandon Skovronski kept the game alive with a double and
Mason Durdel singled him in. Nick Followell was able to get the final out however, leaving the tying run at the plate.
Dillon Hallemann was effective in relief of Miller, going the final five innings and striking out four, giving up just the solo shot from Bruce.
Joe Paparelli and
Austin Gusewelle led the IC offense with two hits apiece.
The Blueboys return to Joe Brooks Field for a doubleheader against Robert Morris University-Springfield on March 24. Due to the Illinois College Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony later in the day, the start time for the doubleheader has been moved up to 10 a.m.
