Illinois began their seven-game homestand with their biggest challenge in conference play thus far. Its opponent would be the Indiana Hoosiers, who came into the series with the best record in the Big Ten.

The series would only be two days, as Sunday’s matinee was moved up as a precaution for inclement weather. A doubleheader would take place on the second day, giving the team an extra day of rest.

The Illini bats would certainly have their hands full with this series, as the Hoosiers pitching staff had been lights out all season. However, it would be an opportunity for the Illini pitchers to get something going, since the Hoosiers are offensively in the middle of the pack.

On the mound for Friday’s series opener was junior righthander Riley Gowens. The weather at first pitch was as perfect as one could have hoped for, sunny, mostly clear with a nice breeze.

Indiana got off to a quick start as freshman Devin Taylor crushed a two-out fastball to dead centerfield, giving his team the lead in the first inning. Gowens had great stuff as he got through the first three innings with just one earned run and two hits. The Hoosiers made a quick change on the mound in the third inning.

Sophomore catcher Camden Janik continued his stellar season with a laser to right-center field, tying the ballgame at 1-1 in the third. Junior shortstop Cal Hejza drove in a run to put Illinois up 2-1 in the fourth inning.

Junior first baseman Drake Westcott absolutely crushed a ball in the fifth inning, with his team-leading ninth home run of the season, which flew 443 feet. The Hoosiers responded with a single up the middle that drove in a pair of runs, the latter of the two on a close play at home.

Gowens came back out to the mound for the seventh inning, looking to keep Indiana down by a run. However, it would not go his way. Taylor went yard for the second time in the game giving the Hoosiers a 5-4 lead.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, senior designated hitter Jacob Schroeder stepped up to the plate with runners in scoring position, and he did not miss. Schroeder hit a ball into another dimension, a 415-foot home run that left the bat at 110 miles per hour. Illinois took a 7-5 lead in the bottom of the eighth.

The Illini headed to the ninth inning with senior reliever Joe Glassey on the mound to lock down a series-opening win. The righthander did just that as Illinois took game one by a score of 7-5.

Head coach Dan Hartleb talked about the composure he saw from his lineup.

“We did not chase a lot of balls,” Hartleb said. “When you don’t chase things, eventually they have to throw something over the plate. We took some good swings, even some of our outs were really good swings.”

Game two of the series and the first of the Saturday doubleheader featured freshman righthander Jake Swartz on the mound. Indiana started fast, grabbing a pair of runs in the first inning. However, Schroeder responded two innings later, tying the game on a two-run shot to left field.

It did not stay tied for long, however, as Indiana responded with a two-run homer of their own, to the exact same spot. Illinois added a run on a passed ball and another run on a wild pitch tied the game at 4-4. Indiana scored a run right away, taking a 5-4 lead, ending the day for Swartz.

Sophomore Brock Tibbitts for Indiana crushed a home run, his fourth hit of the game making it a 6-4 lead for the visitors. The score never changed, as the Hoosiers tied the series at 1-1, with the rubber match an hour later.

Junior righthander Jack Wenninger was the starter for the rubber match between the teams, the second game of the doubleheader. The Indiana freshman Taylor hit a grand slam to give his team a 4-0 lead in the third. Wenninger only recorded 10 outs after Indiana took a 6-1 lead in the fourth, ending his day.

The Hoosiers did not stop there, as their bats completely erupted in the fifth inning making it a 13-1 ballgame. The Illini were never able to make it a game after that, losing 16-3, as they dropped both games of the doubleheader and the overall series.

The Illini now sit with a record of 15-17, with a 4-8 record in conference play. Their next four games will be at home, with a one-game matchup against Eastern Illinois on Tuesday.

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