Redshirt junior James Morris pitched five and a third no-hit innings out of the bullpen, and senior first baseman Dusty Bensko homered and drove in two runs as Illinois (10-5-1) rallied to beat Indiana State (10-13) 8-4 on Thursday at Illinois Field.

Down 4-1 in the third, Morris was brought in to replace the starter, junior Matt Whitmore, who gave up four runs on eight hits in two and two-thirds innings.

“Morris coming out of the bullpen, it’s good to see,” said Illinois head coach Itch Jones. “Today he came out, and he pitched like we thought he could pitch, and every outing that he’s been out this year he’s been pretty good.”

Still down 4-1 in the fourth, the Illini bats went to work. Bensko homered on a first-pitch fastball leading off the inning, driving in his second run of the game after a sac fly in the first.

“Bensko is a person that came in that we thought would have a lot of offensive production,” Jones said.

“This year he’s starting to put everything together. He’s been selective at the plate, he’s getting better pitches, and when you get a couple of walks and the strike zone gets smaller, they got to throw the ball in an area where you can hit it. And, I just thought that he had very good at bats all day today,” he said.

Illinois tied the game in the fifth on a balk by Indiana State reliever Ryan Tatusko and a sac fly by junior catcher Chris Robinson.

After senior second baseman J.R. Kyes flied out to right to start the seventh, junior outfielder Ryan Rogowski and Robinson had back-to-back singles and, Bensko was intentionally walked, loading the bases. Senior centerfielder Drew Davidson then singled up the middle to give Illinois a 6-4 lead, and sophomore Mike Rohde and junior Trevor Huisinga added RBI singles as the Illini pushed their lead to 8-4.

Morris (1-0) then worked the eighth, and sophomore Jake Toohey struck out the side in the ninth to close out the win. Jacob Mummert, who gave up a single to the only batter he faced in the seventh, took the loss.

Rance Fosdick and Nevin Ashley each homered in the third inning for the Sycamores, who were hitless for the final six innings.

Kyes led the Illini with 3 hits.

“To be able to come out and win your first game at home, now when the crowd comes back,” Jones said. “The people (that) came out today saw a good brand of baseball.”

The Illini host Ohio State this weekend in a four-game series starting Friday afternoon, and Brian Blomquist is expected to start the opener.