He didn’t get all of it, but right out of the batter’s box, Justin Parr knew it was a hit. The ball took a hop before it began to lose momentum on the infield turf and turned into a slow roller. Northwestern shortstop Trevor Stevens did everything correctly — charged the ball hard, fielded it cleanly and released a perfect throw to first base — but it didn’t matter.

The fans out at a wet and cloudy Illinois Field on Saturday gave Parr a standing ovation as he etched his place in school history with the longest hitting streak in the 133-year history of Illinois baseball.

“No, that’s not the ideal way,” Parr said after the game, drenched in rain with a smile on his face with every answer he gave. “That’s just part of my game, playing with speed, beating some balls out. Throughout this whole streak, there’s been a few games where a bunt has been my hit or something like that.”

Parr’s current streak stands at 27 consecutive games with a hit, which surpasses the previous 25-game hit streak set by Ryan Snowden in 2007. 

“It really hasn’t hit me yet, the importance of it,” Parr said.

Parr’s had 13 games end with a single hit during the streak, eight games with two hits, two games with three hits and three games with four hits. After going 2-for-4 on Sunday, Parr has a hitin 37 of Illinois’ 39 games this season.

“Justin, in my five years here, is the best hitter I’ve ever seen,” pitcher Bryan Roberts said. “The kid’s hands and eyes are just unreal.”

It seemed as though Parr’s streak would end Friday, as he was hitless headed into his last at-bat in the ninth inning. Northwestern’s closer Kyle Ruchim came into the game with a 0.72 ERA and had only allowed 17 hits in 25 innings this season. 

Parr said after the game that he hadn’t been happy with his at-bats all night, but took a first-pitch fastball right back up the middle to extend his streak to 25 games. 

The pressure of the streak never seemed to weigh on Parr, and if it did, he didn’t show it. As much as he tried to ignore it, he was met with increased interview requests — even a radio interview in the bathroom on the bus to a road game. His teammates talked about it in the dugout, and Parr is usually aware on his own stats as well.

“I think he’s handled the pressure very well,” head coach Dan Hartleb said. “There’s a certain amount of pressure that goes with it, little bit of added anxiety, I’m sure. And, I do, I think he’s handled that very, very well. Some guys would just go swinging at pitches just to put the ball in play. He’s been patient at the plate, which is why he was able to break it.”

While playing for the Rochester Honkers of the Northwoods League this past summer, Parr set a Honkers team record for most consecutive games with a hit with 26 as well.

“That one was hit a little bit harder. That was a line drive up the middle to break that one,” he said.

The only reason he didn’t keep that streak going was because his 26th game with a hit came on the last day of the season. 

After he reached base Saturday, the ball was thrown back the dugout and will likely be made into a plaque that will be presented to him at some point this season.

The only question now is just how many games the number on that plaque will say.

Jamal can be reached at [email protected] and @jamalcollier.