Illinois baseball (28-16) defeated Ohio State (23-22) in two out of three games, advancing to 18-2 at Illinois Field and 13-5 in the conference to take back first place in the Big Ten. After dropping the series opener 5-7 on Friday, the Illini battled back to win the next two games, 10-5 on Saturday and 12-2 on Sunday, to secure their seventh series win of the season.
“It’s just staying together, some things didn’t go our way on Friday but it was a really good game … we just had to stay with it and stay with each other to come out and win the next two,” said graduate student second baseman Brody Harding. “If someone on the team isn’t swinging great, it’s all about passing the bat and believing in the guy behind you.”
Harding powered the Illini offense, going 8-11 across the weekend with seven RBIs, one double and a home run. The veteran infielder has recorded a hit in 12 of the last 14 games with eight multi-hit performances in that span.
Taking a look at conference competitors, Nebraska, Purdue and Indiana all hold a 12-6 record behind Illinois. Indiana took two out of three games at Purdue this past weekend, and Nebraska picked up a series win at Minnesota but lost 2-6 in the series finale.
Starting on the mound for the Illini on Friday was senior right-hander Jack Crowder, who worked six innings and tossed four strikeouts, allowing five runs on five hits. The Illini kicked off the scoring in the third inning with a triple down the right-field line from senior shortstop Cal Hejza. Ohio State got the run back in the fourth with a sacrifice fly ball, but junior left fielder Vytas Valencias put Illinois back on top with a towering solo shot that cleared the right field wall, conquering the breeze blowing in.
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The Buckeyes stole the lead in the fifth inning with a two-run double down the first base line followed by a sac-fly to deep left field to make it 4-2. With the bases loaded, Hejza poked a ground ball through the left side for an RBI to cut the deficit before a sac fly tied the game. After a pitching change, the Buckeyes walked the bases loaded again but the Illini could not convert and left three runners stranded. The Buckeyes added a run in the sixth inning with a runner tagging from third who narrowly beat the throw from Valencias in third, and Illinois Field erupted with disagreement.
An RBI single from senior center fielder Connor Milton knotted the game at five, scoring Harding who got on base with a double in the right-center gap. The Buckeyes tacked on a run in the seventh and eighth, while the Illini couldn’t put any across, resulting in a 7-5 Buckeye lead to start the ninth inning. Senior right-handed pitcher Jake Rons closed the game with a scoreless ninth inning, but the offense came up short as only six Illini batters came to the plate in the final two frames.
On Saturday, Illinois pushed a run across in their first at-bat with an RBI groundout. The Illini extended to a 5-0 lead going into the fifth inning with RBI singles from Valincius, Harding and Hejza. Graduate student left-handed pitcher Cooper Omans was given the start on Saturday and faced the minimum batters through the first four innings dealing six strikeouts. Ohio State went on a run in the middle of the game, putting a run on the board in the fifth inning and three in the sixth, but a two-run bomb from Milton cushioned Illinois’ lead. The Buckeyes added a run in the eighth inning before graduate student catcher Jacob Schroeder crushed a 447’ three-run homer to seal the 10-5 win and tie the series.
“The great thing about baseball is that you get to play tomorrow,” Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb said. “Our guys bounced back Saturday and rolled into Sunday and did a really good job. They get along so well, they’ve had energy and support each other. We don’t have selfish guys, they are ready when they get an opportunity and it’s been a fun group to be around.”
The Illini took an early lead on Sunday, mashing three runs in the second inning on RBI singles from Harding and junior third baseman Coltin Quagliano. Ohio State got on the board with a solo home run in the third, but junior first baseman Drake Westcott responded by sending one over the center field wall to earn the run back. The Buckeyes added another run in the fourth inning, and the Illini answered with an RBI double from junior catcher Camden Janik to restore the three-run lead.
Rons relieved sophomore lefty Sam Reed in the third inning and held the Buckeyes scoreless in the fifth, allowing the Illini to extend their lead with a two-out, two-run homer from Harding that brought in Schroeder, who doubled right before. Freshman lefty Regan Hall took over on the mound in the sixth inning and held the Buckeyes scoreless to finish the game. Ohio State walked a run in with no outs in the seventh, and with the bases still juiced, Harding singled up the middle to bring two runs home. Carrying a 10-2 lead into the eighth inning, the Illini loaded the bases for junior right fielder Ryan Moerman who doubled to the right-center gap, driving in two runs and walking off the run-rule victory.
With tight competition between Big Ten leaders, Illinois must capitalize on home-field advantage before going on the road to close out the regular season. The team takes a break this week before hosting a series against Iowa over the weekend and finishing with three games at Purdue next weekend.
