It was hardly a vacation for the Fighting Illini after their three-game series down in Florida.
Illinois came home with a 1-2 record against USF, finishing with a high-scoring 11-10 defeat.
With the excitement of opening night, Illinois was able to score its first home run from junior transfer Michael Farina. Two runs later, the Fighting Illini were up 3-0; it would be the last time they would hold the lead before the South Florida Bulls decided to take over.
After losing 9-4 in their first matchup,
the Illini were able to respond with a 4-2 win in their second game. With a slow start from both teams and a 2-2 tie, they would find themselves going into a 10th inning. Will Johanes’ game-winning home run resulted in two runs, securing the victory.
It seemed like momentum was picking up for the team as they entered into the series finale with a 7-4 lead in the first five innings. Illinois outshone USF with 12 strikeouts compared to the Bulls’ three; it would only make sense that the Fighting Illini would be able to defend the home plate and keep their opponent off the bases.
However, the Bulls dominated at the plate in the final stretch, ending with 11 runs and ultimately winning by a single run.
It’s only the start of the season, and Illinois still has plenty of time to figure out what works best for the team. A slew of freshmen and transfers have a whole season to determine where they fit on the team. Ike Young, who made his college debut in the final game of the series, still has yet to truly showcase his talents. He only faced seven batters, allowing just four runs in total.
The Illini have some work to do, but they are still looking at the rest of their season with unwavering belief and high expectations.
Stat Stuffers
- In the series finale, Nick Groves dominated with three runs.
- Johanes led the team with two home runs.
- Regan Hall racked up a total of six strikeouts throughout the series.
- Farina made 11 total assists and five runs.
In case you missed it
Up next
Illinois will be hosting the Butler Bulldogs at Illinois Field on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. on B1G+.
