@IlliniBaseball Suffers Walk-Off Loss at SIU

Saturday, March 19

Carbondale, Ill.

3 PM CT

University of Illinois

7-9

Southern Illinois

10-7-1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Illinois	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	7	0
Southern Illinois	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	3	7	1

March 19, 2016 | Baseball

Box Score

Hayes throws well, Rowbottom gets three hits

CARBONDALE, Ill. – A two-out single in the bottom of the ninth by Southern Illinois' Connor Kopach drove home Nick Hutchins to give the Salukis a walk-off win over the Illinois baseball team, 3-2, Saturday at Itchy Jones Stadium. The hit sent the Fighting Illini home with two losses on the day after falling 9-3 to Northern Illinois earlier in the afternoon.

Kopach's liner tipped off the glove of Adam Walton, who was fully outstretched at the top of his jump attempting to force extra innings. J.D. Nielsen (1-1) allowed three singles in the ninth to take the loss.

Doug Hayes turned in another strong outing on the mound. He settled down to retire 12 straight Southern Illinois (10-7-1) batters through the middle innings after allowing single runs in both the first and second innings.

Hayes went 6.0 innings and allowed two runs on three hits, while striking out seven. He walked two in the first inning but got ahold of his command and did not issue another free pass until the sixth.

Hayes is still dealing. He retired 12 straight at one point and is up to 6.0 IP, 7 K.

T7 | #Illini 2, SIU 2 pic.twitter.com/TaSSTPbQOj
— Illini Baseball (@IlliniBaseball) March 19, 2016

Illinois (7-9) also scored single tallies in each of the first two frames. Anthony Drago took a bases-loaded walk to start the scoring and Dan Rowbottom sliced a double to left center to score Walton from first base in the second. Rowbottom, who went 5 for 8 in the two games, finished with three hits and Walton had two.

@IlliniBaseball Rowbottom Three Hits at SIU
.583 in the last two days (7-12), including these 3 hits vs. SIU. Dan Rowbottom is on ?? »
Posted by Fighting Illini Baseball on Saturday, March 19, 2016

Jack Yalowitz bridged the gap between Hayes and Nielsen with 1.1 innings of shutout work. The freshman rebounded after taking the loss in the Illini's first game of the day.

Illinois gets another chance at SIU tomorrow at 3 p.m. CT. The Illini follow a noon contest between Northern Illinois and Southern Illinois.

Final.

SIU's Connor Kopach ends it with a walk-off single with 2 outs in the ninth. pic.twitter.com/eYkFUrON7a
— Illini Baseball (@IlliniBaseball) March 19, 2016