It has been a season of heartbreakers thus far for the Illinois baseball team.

This past weekend was no different as the Illini added to its list of heartbreaking losses with a 1-3 series performance against the Northwestern Wildcats.

Two of the four losses for the Illini came by one run, including a 12-inning 7-6 loss in the back end of the Illini’s double-header with the Wildcats on Saturday.

“We just need to capitalize and put together a complete game,” junior left fielder Chase Kliment said. “We’re right there and just a couple breaks short. We’re going to keep doing our thing and keep playing. Despite this losing streak we are on, I think we are going to bounce back and eventually get those breaks.”

After losing a wild first game of the series 19-18 Friday night, Northwestern junior pitcher Dan Brauer shut down Illinois in game two of the series. Brauer threw a complete game, allowing three runs on seven hits and striking out five in the Wildcats 7-3 win.

The Illini sent freshman starting pitcher Tanner Roark to the mound in game three of the series in hopes of ending the Illini’s four-game losing streak. Roark threw five strong innings giving up three earned runs on five hits.

“(Tanner) pitched awesome for us,” Kliment said. “I’m just disappointed we couldn’t get him a win. He has been pitching very well and has been hitting his spots. For a freshman to come in like that in these games, I think he is developing very nice.”

Trailing 6-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning of a seven-inning game, the Illini scratched across two runs on a Kliment sacrifice fly and sophomore catcher Lars Davis’ RBI single.

The game came just inches from ending when Illinois senior first baseman Dave Schultz rounded third base and looked to score the winning run in the bottom of the ninth, but was gunned down at the plate by the Northwestern left fielder to end the inning.

“I still can’t believe their left fielder threw us out at the plate,” Illini head coach Dan Hartleb said. “That was an unbelievable play at any level.”

Not to be out done, Illini junior centerfielder Ryan Snowden threw out Northwestern base runner Brandt Neibuhr at the plate to end the 11th inning and keep the game tied at six. But Northwestern finally broke through with a run in the 12th to take a 7-6 lead. Illinois was unable to keep the game going despite getting a runner to second base with no one out in the bottom of the 12th.

“It was very disappointing to lose this game,” Kliment said. “The one positive that we can take out of this is that we fought and gave it all we had. In the end we just came up short.”

The Illini got a gift from Mother Nature in the final game of the weekend. Leading 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning Sunday, the game was called due to weather to allow the Illini to break their five-game losing streak.

Northwestern (12-9, 9-3 Big Ten) finished the series with nine homeruns and took over sole possession of first place in the Big Ten. The three losses on the weekend dropped the Illini to 16-16 and 4-8 in the Big Ten.

“We did a good job of bouncing back,” Hartleb said. “Sometimes it is very tough for teams when they lose three to bounce back and overcome things. I don’t think we ever quit, and I think we are going to get better and get in situations to win games because of our attitude and our effort.”