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Valparaiso University

Calendar

Connor Giusti ILL
13
Winner Valparaiso VALPO 4-10
10
Illinois ILL 9-7
Winner
Valparaiso VALPO
4-10
13
Final
10
Illinois ILL
9-7
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Valparaiso VALPO 1 0 7 5 0 0 0 0 0 13 11 0
Illinois ILL 0 2 0 2 0 0 1 4 1 10 12 3

W: Deliyannis, Harry (2-1) L: Plumley, Ben (0-2)

4
Valparaiso VALPO 4-11
14
Winner Illinois ILL 10-7
Valparaiso VALPO
4-11
4
Final
14
Illinois ILL
10-7
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Valparaiso VALPO 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 4 5 1
Illinois ILL 0 1 3 0 2 2 6 14 12 0

W: Hall, Regan (2-0) L: Boynton, Spencer (1-3)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Valpo Picks Up Second Big Ten Win of Season, Splits Doubleheader vs. Defending B1G Champs

The Valparaiso University baseball team earned a road doubleheader split against the defending Big Ten Conference regular-season champions on Saturday, prevailing 13-10 over Illinois in the opener before falling 14-4 in seven innings in the nightcap on a windy day at Illinois Field in Champaign, Ill. The Beacons picked up their second win against a Big Ten foe this season in the first game of Saturday's twinbill.
 
How It Happened – Game 1
  • The game started favorably for the Beacons, as Case Sullivan (Carmel, Ind. / Carmel) led off with a single and Ryan Maka (Oak Forest, Ill. / Oak Forest) followed with a double. Liam Patton (Barrington, Ill. / Warsaw) did his job with a ground ball to short to drive in the game's first run.
  • Illinois started the bottom of the second with back-to-back home runs to take a 2-1 lead.
  • Redshirt freshman Aidan Thaxton (Chicago, Ill. / St. Ignatius College Prep) led off the third with a solo shot to left, moving the game back to even at 2-2.
  • Valpo poured on seven total runs in a chaotic third inning. Kevin Denty (Tinley Park, Ill. / Marian Catholic) grounded one up the middle that got through, scoring two. The Illini were charged with two errors in the inning and Valpo benefited from a pair of walks while sending 11 batters to the plate.
  • The Beacons added on five more runs in the fourth on a pair of home runs. Patton blasted a two-run homer to left, and later Connor Giusti (Hoffman Estates, Ill. / Fremd) added on a three-run job to make it 13-2.
  • A two-run shot in the bottom of the fourth cut the Beacon lead to nine at 13-4.
  • Neither team scored again until the bottom of the seventh, when Illinois picked up a run before following with four in the eighth to make it 13-9.
  • Illinois got one more in the ninth, but Josh Cottrill (Pewaukee, Wis. / Pewaukee) eventually recorded the final out to nail down the victory. The righty worked 1 2/3 innings out of the bullpen and allowed one run on two hits and no walks.
Inside the Game – Game 1
  • Thaxton's home run was the first of his collegiate career.
  • Patton's home run was his second in as many days after he homered for the first time this season in Friday's series opener. He has five home runs in a Valpo uniform.
  • Giusti's home run was his second of the season and the ninth of his Valpo career.
  • The three home runs marked a season high for the Beacons.
  • Starter Harry Deliyannis (Bloomington, Ind. / Bloomington North) picked up the win, allowing four runs on six hits while striking out seven. Adam Guazzo (Huntley, Ill. / Huntley) allowed one run on one hit over two frames in relief.
  • Valpo picked up its second Big Ten win of the season, knocked off the defending Big Ten regular-season champions and an NCAA Regional team from last season and beat the Illini for the second time in the last three head-to-head matchups after also winning in 2018.
  • The 13 runs marked Valpo's second-highest total of the season behind 16 on Feb. 28 vs. Niagara. Valpo has scored double-figure run totals in three of the team's four wins.
  • The 11 hits marked Valpo's second straight game with a double-figure hit total after recording 13 in the series opener. Valpo has notched double-figure hits five times this season.
  • Maka racked up four hits, equaling a season high. Giusti became the second Valpo player with a four-RBI game this season, joining Patton. The four RBIs represented a career high for Giusti.
How It Happened – Game 2
  • A solo homer put Illinois on the board in the top of the second, then the Illini plated three in the third to open up a 4-0 edge.
  • The Beacons sliced that deficit in half in the top of the fourth inning as Sullivan led off with a double before Maka unloaded a 436-foot blast to right that was gone when it left the bat.
  • Illinois scored twice in the fifth to extend the lead to 6-2.
  • After Patton led off the seventh with a double, he and Denty crossed the dish on a two-run double by freshman Bryan Hatch (Des Plaines, Ill. / St. Viator) that made it 8-4.
  • Illinois scored six in the bottom of the seventh to invoke the run-rule on a game-ending grand slam.
Inside the Game – Game 2
  • Maka's home run was his third of the season and the 19th of his collegiate career, within two of cracking the program's all-time top 10.
  • Maka has reached safely in all 14 games that he has played this season.
Up Next
The Beacons (4-11) will visit Ball State for a midweek matchup beginning at 2 p.m. CT / 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday in Muncie, Ind. in the final game before the start of Missouri Valley Conference play. Tuesday's game will air on ESPN+.
 
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