CHAMPAIGN — Bren Spillane finished a home run short of the cycle Feb. 23 against Coastal Carolina. The Illinois junior got it the next day, with what was then a game-tying grand slam against West Virginia in the Illini's trip to Conway, S.C.
Illinois lost both of those games — two of three two-run losses in the first two weekends of the season.
Spillane has kept hitting in the interim. The Illini (6-3) have started winning, too, and are now ranked No. 25 in the country by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
That includes the 6-foot-4, 210-pound first baseman going 4 of 11 with two doubles, two runs scored and three RBI as Illinois swept No.