Illinois Athletic Department

April 30, 2023

Jack Wenninger courtesy Illinois Athletics

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Fighting Illini baseball (19-20, 7-9) evened up their series against Ohio State (21-21, 4-12) with a dominant 7-0 victory at Bill Davis Stadium on Saturday.

Jack Wenninger twirled a one-hit, complete-game, gem to improve to 5-3 on the season. Wenninger began his outing by retiring the first six batters that came to the plate, before yielding his lone hit, a lead-off double, in the third. The junior worked around it to get out of the inning unscathed.

The Cary, Ill., native was simply dominant to end the game, retiring the final 21 batters he faced, picking up five strikeouts along the way. Wenninger tossed the first complete game by an Illinois pitcher since Ty Weber on April 15, 2018, and also became the first Illini pitcher to throw a complete-game shutout since Kevin Duchene on May 10, 2013. He is the first Illinois pitcher to throw a complete-game, one-hit, shutout since at least 2002.

The Illini got off to a quick start offensively, with Drake Westcott launching his 12th home run of the season, a two-run shot with two outs, to left center. Ryan Moerman immediately followed with a solo blast of his own, marking the first time since May 1, 2018, that Illinois hit back-to-back home runs, and putting the Illini ahead 3-0.

The Orange and Blue would double their lead in the sixth, when Moerman went deep for the second time in the ballgame, this time a three-run shot, to make it 6-0. He would tack on his career-high fifth RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly in the seventh, to make it 7-0.

The Fighting Illini go for the series win in tomorrow’s rubber match, with first pitch scheduled for 12:00 p.m. CT.

GAME NOTES

Jack Wenninger tossed the first complete game since Ty Weber on April 15, 2018, vs. Rutgers.

• 9.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R/ER, 0 BB, 7 SO
• Faced just one batter over the minimum...retired final 21 batters to end the game.
• First Illinois pitcher since Kevin Duchene on May 10, 2013, vs. Penn State, to throw a complete-game shutout.
• First Illinois pitcher since Doug Hayes on March 26, 2016, vs. Penn State to throw a complete-game one-hitter. Hayes allowed one run in that outing.
• First Illinois pitcher to throw a complete-game, one-hit, shutout since at least 2002.
• Tossed his second-straight quality start and third overall this season.

Ryan Moerman went 2-for-4 with two runs, two home runs and five RBI.

• Fifth time an Illini batter has hit two home runs in a game this season...fourth player to do so.
• Career-high five RBI...leads the team with 37 this season.

Drake Westcott went 3-for-4 with two runs, a home run, two RBI and a walk.

• Second three-hit game this season.
• Hit his 12th home run this season...tied for the team lead (Schroeder).
• His 34 RBI rank second on the team.

Jacob Schroeder went 2-for-5 with a double.

• Has three multi-hit games in his last six.
• His 16 extra-base hits rank tied for third on the team.

Danny Doligale went 1-for-1 with four walks.

• Set a new career-high in walks.
• Leads the team with 32 walks this season...ranks tied for seventh among Big Ten hitters.

Illinois hitters hit three home runs in the ballgame.

• 10th time this season the Illini have hit at least three home runs in a game.

The Fighting Illini out-hit the Buckeyes at an 11-1 clip.

Illinois pitchers faced 28 Ohio State hitters in the game, allowing 11 ground balls and nine fly balls while striking out seven.

The Fighting Illini drew seven walks from Ohio State pitching.