CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Cody Sedlock turned in another great pitching performance Thursday night but the Illinois baseball team was shutout, 1-0, by Michigan at Illinois Field. Johnny Slater's fifth-inning home run was the difference.
Illinois (26-22, 10-12 Big Ten) put itself in a must-win situation for its final two games of the regular season. In order to qualify for the Big Ten Tournament, the Fighting Illini must beat Michigan twice and have either Maryland sweep Michigan State or the Spartans take the next two games from the Terrapins.
Sedlock (5-3) allowed just two runners to reach second base outside of Slater's home run. The junior right-hander never faced for than five batters in an inning and worked five 1-2-3 frames on his way to his second complete game.
"Cody [Sedlock] has always been efficient for us," said head coach Dan Hartleb. "He gets easy innings; he doesn't labor through a lot of innings."
Sedlock has thrown nine or more innings in four out of his last five outings. He has not allowed more than three earned runs in 10 straight starts, eight of which he has pitched into the seventh.
Sedlock struck out seven, increasing his Illinois single-season record to 116 strikeouts. He allowed just three hits and none after Slater's home run in the fifth.
Slater's first home run of the season was the first Sedlock had given up in over a month. The left-handed hitter took a fastball over the right field wall, giving enough support to Michigan starting pitcher Brett Adcock.
Adcock (7-4) went 8.1 innings in the longest outing of his season. He kept the Illini off balance and issued only four walks despite entering the game giving up nearly one walk per inning pitched. A leadoff walk in the ninth to Pat McInerney and a sac bunt from Dan Rowbottom ended Adcock's day in favor of Bryan Pall, who got two outs to earn his fourth save.
Doug Hayes (6-5, 3.12) is scheduled to get the start Friday night against Michigan left-hander Oliver Jaskie (7-3, 3.36). First pitch is at 6:02 p.m. CT.
