Team Illinois took down a tough Team Georgia this morning to advance to 2-0 in pool play thanks to a quality start by right-hander Leo Kelly (Loyola Academy, 2029), some clutch offense, and defense.

Coming off a win yesterday, Team Illinois continues to swing it well at LakePoint, tallying eight hits and eight runs in a 8-3 win over Georgia. Leo Kelly got the start on the bump and settled in after the first inning. Kelly tossed four innings allowing just two hits, three runs, and struck out one. Kelly was dominant after he got through his first inning of work propelling IL to a win.

The bats started out slow for the team but picked up quickly in the third inning, scoring six runs on five hits, four walks, and a hit by pitch. Tyler Lanzi (Providence Catholic, 2029) led off the inning with an infield single, Mason Koth (Jacobs, 2029) crushed a double over the centerfielders head, and Charlie Kohman (Downers Grove North, 2029) walked. Mason Carlson (Joliet Catholic, 2029) stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and laced a clutch double deep to right center scoring all three runners. Three straight walks by Jake Pisano (Providence Catholic, 2029), Jake Kaspar (Brother Rice, 2029), and Hector Valdez (Nazareth Academy, 2029) loaded the bases for the second time in the inning. Andrew Jones (Marist, 2029) brought in a run with a hit by pitch, Leo Kelly tallied an RBI with a single up the middle, and Cody Busch (Joliet Catholic, 2029) brought in the final run of the inning with a line drive single to center.

Team Illinois failed to score the two innings until the fifth inning when a walk by Kohman turned into a two out run thanks to a wild pitch by the Georgia pitcher.

In the sixth inning, Andrew Jones led off the inning with a walk. Jones stole second and third in the first three pitches of the next at bat and a throwing error to third by the catcher helped Jones score the eighth run of the day for team Illinois.

Right-hander Mason Koth shut the door for the Illinois squad as he tossed the final two innings of the game, getting out of some tough situations, including first and second, no outs, getting the batter to hit into a double play which very likely could be the play of the week turned by Cody Busch and Todd Dulaney Jr. (Nazareth Academy, 2029). Koth tossed two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit.

2B Cody Busch (Joliet Catholic, 2029) and SS Todd Dulaney Jr. (Nazareth, 2029) flashed some leather this morning for #TeamIllinois.

Two high-level MIFs to follow throughout their prep careers in IL.#PBJFG25 | @prepbaseball pic.twitter.com/T9Qm60xSjY

— Prep Baseball Illinois (@PrepBaseballIL) July 26, 2025

Team Illinois advances to the 16-team bracket and awaits their next opponent for bracket play starting tonight at 9:00 PM.

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