News Local/State

Illinois Advances in Baseball Tourney, 6-4 Over Georgia Tech

By The Associated Press
 

Jordan Parr hit two home runs to lead Illinois to a 6-4 win over Georgia Tech in an NCAA regional Friday.

Illinois (35-18) jumped out to a four-run lead thanks to Parr's second multihomer game.

After his twin brother Justin Parr led off the fourth with a single, Jordan hit a two-run homer that bounced off the top of the left-field wall. Jordan Parr then smacked the first pitch of the sixth for his eighth homer.

Kevin Duchene (9-1), the Big Ten freshman of the year, scattered eight hits over seven innings and allowed three runs.

The Yellow Jackets (34-26) closed the gap to 4-3 with consecutive triples by Daniel Palka and Sam Dove and a solo homer by Thomas Smith.

Illinois tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the eighth to stave off Georgia Tech, which has lost six of seven. 

They advance to play the winner of Friday night's game between Vanderbilt and East Tennessee State.