Leading up to its weekend series against Michigan State (16-7, 3-3), Illinois (12-10, 2-4) hoped to secure some momentum. A high-scoring loss prevented the Illini from doing so.
Coming off a devastating series loss to rival Northwestern (10-12, 3-3), Illinois took on Missouri (9-14, 0-6) in an exhibition match. The goal was to get the Illini ready before its Big Ten matchup against the Spartans. Losing 9-11 to the Tigers likely did more harm than good to the Illini.
For a team that’s already coming off a losing stretch, it’s generally a confidence killer when you drop yet another game. It’s not impossible for Illinois to get back on track, but it’s currently fighting an uphill battle.
Pitching struggles…again
Pitching dilemmas seem to be the theme of the season at this point. Simply put, Illinois has been unable to stop its opponents from scoring all year. While college baseball typically has higher-scoring matchups than the MLB, you’re usually not going to win a game by allowing more than 10 runs.
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This kind of performance isn’t just a one-off problem. Illinois has allowed more than 10 runs in seven of its games this year. That’s simply not going to cut it if the Illini want to hold strong in the Big Ten.
In this particular matchup, Missouri scored eight runs in the first two innings. Senior right-hander Ryan Daly had a rough day on the mound. Daly only lasted one inning and allowed seven earned runs. The rest of the staff ate away the rest of the innings, with no single pitcher allowing more than one earned run.
While the rest of the staff stepped up, it’s tough to win games when you’re down right away. Not only is the deficit too much to overcome most of the time, but it’s also demoralizing to the whole team.
If Illinois wants to turn things around, it all starts with the pitching staff.
Offense does its part
All season, the Illinois pitching staff has struggled, but the same can’t be said about its offense. Despite putting up nine runs, Illinois wasn’t able to walk away with a win. Typically, a nine-run performance should be more than enough to win a baseball game. There really isn’t much more the offense can do right now.
Illinois did have a slow start against Missouri but picked it up with a monster six-run sixth inning. Three members of the Illini hit a home run, including senior first baseman Vytas Valincius. In just 21 games, Valincius already has five home runs.
Outside of Valincius, sophomore center fielder Collin Jennings has impressed as well. Jennings went over the wall against Missouri, raising his total to four on the year. He is also hitting an impressive .325.
Next up, Michigan State
The Illini will travel to East Lansing, Michigan, for a three-game stretch this weekend against the Spartans. By no means is Michigan State an unwinnable series for Illinois. The Illini know their keys to victory; now they just have to execute.
