WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Illinois baseball balanced good arms with strong bats Saturday afternoon to claim a 5-2 victory over No. 20 Wake Forest.
With the score tied at 1 entering the sixth inning, freshman Cam McDonald hit a run-scoring single up the middle to give the Illini (2-0) an advantage. Then, after the Demon Deacons tied it at 2, McDonald lined another RBI single to kick off a three-run eighth inning that delivered a bulk of Illinois' 10 hits.
Right-handed reliever Sean Leland pitched 2 1 / 3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts for the win, while righty closer Garrett Acton earned the save.