ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The Illinois baseball team opened a 7-0 lead Friday at No. 18 Michigan but could not hold on in a 9-8 loss. The Illini snapped a four-game winning streak.
Illinois (10-17, 0-4 Big Ten) scored two runs in the first, including a leadoff homer from Jack Yalowitz, and five more in the third. Yalowitz tripled and scored in the third and Ben Troike, Pat McInerney, Casey Dodge and Doran Turchin all had doubles before the end of the fifth, when the Illini held an 8-3 lead.
Michigan (24-6, 5-2 Big Ten) started to come back with three in the fourth, then followed with five in the fifth to take the lead. The big blow was an opposite field grand slam from Drew Lugbauer, his ninth homer of the season. Miles Lewis hit an RBI double to left center in the seventh, which proved to be the game winner.
The Wolverines won for the eighth straight time and improved to 11-1 at home.
Illinois tagged Michigan ace lefty Oliver Jaskie with his worst start of the season. He lasted only three innings, allowing seven runs (five earned) off of six hits. The Wolverines' bullpen picked him up with six innings pitched and just one run allowed on four hits.
William Tribucher (3-1) was the winner with 2 1/3 innings of scoreless work through the sixth, seventh and eighth.
Zack Jones (0-3) allowed a walk and Lewis' double in the seventh inning to take the loss. Illini starter Cole Bellair was cruising early, getting 10 outs in the first 10 batters, but could not get out of the fifth. He allowed seven runs on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings pitched. Quinten Sefcik threw two innings of hitless relief and Ryan Thompson struck out three in 1 1/3 innings.
The teams are back at Wilpon Complex tomorrow for a 1 p.m. CT game. Ty Weber is scheduled to start for Illinois.
