CARBONDALE, Ill. – Trent Hammond had three hits and three runs scored and Pat McInerney drove in three as the Illinois baseball team came from behind to beat Northern Illinois, 5-3, Saturday at Ichy Jones Stadium. NIU took a 3-0 lead in the third inning before Illinois scored five unanswered runs.
"We can use this gave as momentum for the rest of the weekend," said starting pitcher Cody Sedlock, who earned his third win on the mound. "Hopefully we come out tomorrow and get two (wins). It's huge for us."
Sedlock (3-1) allowed just four hits and struck out seven in 7.0+ innings. Northern Illinois (2-15) scored all of its runs in the third inning when a leadoff double by Luke Yapp and two singles plated three.
"I didn't really feel my best," said Sedlock. "I didn't have the fastball command that I would like, but we battled."
The offense – led by Hammond and McInerney – charged back with two runs in the third and two more in the fifth to give Sedlcok the lead. Hammond had his first three-hit game of the season, while McInerney psoted his third straight two-hit game.
Illinois (7-7) also got two hits and one RBI from Dan Rowbottom, who made his first start at No. 3 in the batting order. Matthew James added a double and Michael Hurwitz scored two runs.
Nick Blackburn threw the eighth and J.D. Nielsen worked the ninth. Blackburn worked out of a bases-loaded jam with a strikeout and a double play to get the ball to Nielsen, who picked up his second save. A 5-4-3 double play started on a nice forehand pickup by Hammond started the game-ending double play.
Ryan Olson (1-3) took the loss in 6.1 innings, while allowing five runs on seven hits. Danny Hyde shut out Illinois over the final 1.2 innings.
The Fighting Illini are back at Ichy Jones Stadium tomorrow for a double header against Northern Illinois and Southern Illinois. First pitch against the Huskies is slated for 1 p.m. CT with the matchup against the Salukis to follow.
