For the first time this season the Illinois baseball team won a Big Ten road series, defeating the Minnesota Golden Gophers three times in a four game series this past weekend.

The Illini started the series with a come from behind 4-3 win on Friday night and after losing the second game 9-5 were victorious 5-4 and 16-8 in the final two games of the series in Minneapolis, Minn.

“It’s great to get the three wins,” head coach Dan Hartleb said. “But I’m even more pleased with the progress we made throughout the weekend. It was a solid effort all the way around.”

Illinois senior pitcher Matt Whitmore took the hill for Illini game one in the series on Friday night. Whitmore got off to a shaky start, but would settle down as the game progressed and ended up pitching six innings and allowing three runs on four hits.

Trailing 3-1 in the seventh inning, Illinois senior first baseman Dave Schultz delivered a key one out single to drive in two Illini runners and tie the game at three. Illinois’ speed would prove to be the deciding factor.

With two outs in the top of the eighth inning, Illini freshman center fielder Kyle Hudson beat out an infield single that allowed freshman left fielder Joe Bonadonna to move to third. Bonadonna would then score on a past ball, sliding into home just under Minnesota pitcher Andy Peters’ tag to give Illinois a 4-3 win.

“Our speed was definitely a key over the weekend,” sophomore second baseman Ryan Hastings said. “We had Joey (Bonadonna) all over the base paths all weekend and it helped us in the end. We have a great opportunity ahead of us now.”

Minnesota would even the series back up at one win a piece with a decisive 9-5 victory over the Illini in game two of the series. But Illinois bounced right back in the second game of the two teams’ double-header on Saturday.

Junior right fielder Ryan Snowden launched his first ever home run as an Illini, a three run blast into the left field stands to give the Illini an early 5-0 lead in the second inning.

Minnesota rallied for four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, but Illini senior relief pitcher Joel Barickman came on and ended the Gophers’ rally. Junior pitcher Jake Toohey sat the Gophers down in order in their final at bat to preserve the Illini’s 5-4 win and earned his second save of the series and third of the season.

“I was pleased with our entire effort out of the bullpen,” Hartleb said. “We were much better out of the bullpen this weekend and that made all the difference in the world.”

Illinois earned the series win on Sunday afternoon by pounding the Minnesota pitching staff. Seven different Illini had at least two hits, six recorded at least two RBI’s and six Illini scored at least two runs in the game, as the Illini lit up the Metrodome scoreboard with 16 runs on 24 hits to finish off the Gophers.

“I thought our guys handled the situation very well,” Hartleb said. “They relaxed for a while and got their mind off the loss and came out and won another tight ball game. The more close games we are in like that the better we’re going to be in the long run.”

Their three wins over the weekend got the Illini back to .500 in the Big Ten at 10-10 for the first time since after its Big Ten opening series against Purdue. Illinois (23-19, 10-10 Big Ten) also moved into sole possession of fourth place in the Big Ten, setting up a big series next weekend at home against Big Ten co-leader Michigan (26-15, 14-6 Big Ten).

“We had a chance to get back to .500 against Iowa but fell short,” Snowden said. “But we got it done this weekend and now with Michigan coming in we have to keep the ball rolling and continue playing well.”