Box Score

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Rutgers baseball threatened late, but fell short in a 5-4 ballgame at No. 3 Illinois Saturday at Illinois Field. The opener of the doubleheader was the first meeting between the teams since 1989.

Sophomore Tom Marcinczyk (Middlesex, N.J.) had two runs and two hits to lead the RU offense, as the outfielder has posted multiple hits in seven of his last eight games played. He is hitting 15-for-32 (.469) over that stretch. Also contributing, freshman Milo Freeman (Millburn, N.J.) doubled and singled, while senior Joe D'Annunzio (Scotch Plains, N.J.) singled twice. Junior R.J. Devish (Beachwood, N.J.) produced two RBIs.

On the mound, junior Howie Brey (Middletown, N.J.) (2-7) logged 6.1 innings but took the loss after surrendering four runs in the fifth. The left-hander struck out four in the outing. Following up with 1.2 scoreless innings, freshman Ryan Wares (Howell, N.J.) stranded two inherited runners and fanned three to keep the game within reach.

Down 5-2 in the top of the eighth, the Scarlet Knights (17-32-1, 5-14) rallied for two to make it a one-run game. Marcinczyk hit a single through the left side and slid in safely at second on an error, as junior Chris Suseck (Flemington, N.J.) reached first. It continued when Freeman beat out an infield single to load the bases. Following a pitching change, Devish ripped an RBI single to right to score Marcinczyk. A double play happened next, but Freeman came home on a passed ball to make it 5-4.

Wares dealt a scoreless eighth to move the game to the ninth. D'Annunzio laced a single up the middle with two outs to keep the game alive. Marcinczyk then stepped up and drove a ball deep the center, but it was flagged down at the track for the final out.

Kevin Duchene (9-1) picked up the win with two runs allowed over seven innings for the hosts, while Tyler Jay worked the final two frames for his 10th save. UI totaled 13 hits on the afternoon to extend its winning streak to 22.

After the Fighting Illini (41-6-1, 17-1) scored one in the first to jump ahead, the Scarlet Knights answered quickly. Freeman led off the second with a booming double that hit the wall in the left. Devish then laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runner to third. Next up, freshman Kyle Walker (Piscataway, N.J.) fell behind in the count two strikes, but stayed in the at bat and lined an RBI single to center.

The game would stay tied at one until the fifth when Illinois rallied for four runs on six hits (three in the infield). RU countered with one in its half of the sixth. Marcinczyk drilled a first-pitch double to right moved up to third two batters later on a bunt by Freeman. Devish picked up an RBI with a grounder to shortstop to cut it to 5-2.

Wares took over in the bottom of the seventh and stranded runners at the corners with a pair of strikeouts. That led to a two-run rally by RU in the eighth.

Game two of the doubleheader follows immediately from Illinois Field.

Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding baseball, follow the program on Twitter (@BaseballRU), Instagram (@rutgersbaseball) and Tumblr.