LINCOLN, Neb. – A heads up defensive play helped the Illinois baseball team find a way to win the opener of a three-game series at Nebraska Friday night at Hawks Field. A two-out single in the ninth inning nearly loaded the bases with the tying run at second for Nebraska, but a 7-5-6 putout erased the Husker's Cole Klemke rounding third and the Fighting Illini left with a 6-4 victory.
Nebraska (17-8, 3-1 Big Ten) had runners on first and second and two out in the ninth when Luis Alvarado lined a two-strike pitch from Nick Blackburn through the left side. Dan Rowbottom fielded the ball in left and fired to cutoff man Trent Hammond, who flipped it to shortstop Adam Walton as he came around the back side and tagged Klemke for the game-ending out.
Illinois (11-12, 3-1 Big Ten) walked 12 times, including eight base on balls from the top three hitters in the order, as the Illini came back from a 3-2 deficit after six innings to win. None of the Illini's first five runs came with the benefit of a hit. Two runs scored in the second inning on five walks and a sac fly and three more scored in the seventh after three walks, an error and another sac fly.
Nebraska stayed in the game by limiting Illinois to 2 for 19 with runners on (.105). The Huskers pulled ahead 3-2 in the sixth with three runs on three walks and three singles, before the Illini answered back in the seventh.
Blackburn picked up his team-leading fifth save and reliever J.D. Nielsen (2-1) recorded his second win of the year by throwing 1.1 innings and allowing one run on three hits. Blackburn got the final eight outs for his longest save of the season.
Cody Sedlock showed flashes of his professional-level curveball in striking out eight Huskers over 5.0 innings. He lost control in the sixth with three walks, after five scoreless frames, before Nielsen came in to limit the damage.
Nebraska was forced to use six pitchers after starter Derek Burkamper walked five in the first 1.2 innings. Jeff Chesnut (2-1) was tagged with the loss after walking three and committing a throwing error that helped three Illini runs cross the plate.
Pat McInerney had two hits to lead Illinois and Jason Goldstein drove home two. Dan Rowbottom walked four times, one away from tying the Illinois single-game record of five set by Craig Marquie against Duquesne in 2000.
The teams meet against tomorrow at 2:05 p.m. CT and Sunday at 1:05 p.m. CT. Tomorrow's game will be streamed on BTN Plus.
