Wake Forest slugger Nick Kurtz (Photo by Shotgun Spratling)

Granger: Illini, Deacs Ice Penguins in Openers

Game 1: Illinois 9 | Youngstown State 6

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Illinois ace Riley Gowens came out hot in the season opener. Perhaps a bit too hot. The righthander walked the first two hitters he faced and followed it with an infield single that would load the bases with nobody out. Gut-check time. 

“I think there are always key pivotal points in the game, and today it happened to come in the first inning with no outs,” said Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb.

Gowens would bear down after that, punching out the next two hitters and getting a ground ball to[…]