JACKSONVILLE, Ill. - Grinnell College's baseball team lost a pair of tough contests Saturday, falling 12-2 and 13-2 at Illinois College in Midwest Conference play.

Grinnell managed seven hits in the opener, including a homer and single from Brady LeSher '19 and doubles by Quinton McNitt '21 and Jack Hager '20.

The Blueboys got out to a 3-0 lead before Grinnell raced right back into contention in the middle innings when LeSher belted a solo homer in the fifth inning and added an RBI single through the right side in the sixth, scoring Hager. It remained 3-2 until the Blueboys put up nine runs in the seventh inning. Sam LaMotte '20 absorbed the loss for Grinnell.

Hager belted a homer in the second game and McNitt and Vince Reilly '19 each singled twice. McNitt was also hit by a pitch in the game, moving him into the Grinnell career lead in that category with 22. This game was tight early, too, when Hager's solo homer to left-center in the fourth inning made it 2-1. Illinois College inched ahead 7-1 before Grinnell got its final run on an RBI single to right-center by Matthew Inaba '22 that scored Zack Jones '20.

Illinois College (16-14, 5-5 MWC) took off from there for the win. Charles Carr '19 suffered the loss for Grinnell (11-17, 5-5 MWC). 

The same two teams meet again for a doubleheader at 10 a.m. Sunday.