CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois scored nine runs in its final three innings Friday night to come from behind and beat Michigan, 11-8, at Illinois Field. The Fighting Illini climbed all the way back from a 7-2 deficit to tie the game in the seventh and take the lead for good on a home run to center field from Pat McInerney in the eighth.
Illinois (27-23, 11-12 Big Ten) tallied four runs in the sixth, one in the seventh and four in the eighth to put up its most runs of the 2016 season. The Illini stayed alive in the race to make the Big Ten Tournament heading to tomorrow's final day of the regular season.
A win in its 3:30 p.m. CT game against Michigan and Michigan State beating Maryland at 12:05 p.m. CT would put Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament. That would create a four-way tie for seventh and eighth place in the Big Ten standings between Illinois, Iowa, Maryland and Penn State. The Hawkeyes would claim the No. 7 seed and Illinois would be the No. 8 seed based on combined records against the tied teams.
Illinois put up 14 hits, drew seven walks and was hit by four pitches to score more runs Friday than it had in the previous six games combined. Eight of the nine hitters in the lineup had at least one hit, including three apiece from Jack Yalowitz and Adam Walton. Walton drove in three runs, the biggest coming in the seventh inning when he took a 1-2 pitch with two outs back up the middle and off pitcher Ryan Nutof's leg to drive in the tying run.
McInerney's homer led off the eighth, before Yalowitz plated two insurance runs with a base hit passed a drawn in infield and Walton scored another on a sac fly.
Michigan (35-18, 13-10 Big Ten) rallied to get the potential tying run on first base in the ninth inning when closer Nick Blackburn walked four Wolverines. Cole Bellair came in to strikeout Johnny Slater with the bases loaded and earn his first career save.
J.D. Nielsen (5-1) got the win in 0.2 innings of relief. He took over for Charlie Naso, who kept the Illini in the ballgame with 3.0 scoreless frames. The bullpen held Michigan to three hits in 4.2 innings after the Wolverines put up seven runs on seven hits off Doug Hayes through the first 4.1 frames.
The top of the Michigan order – Jake Bivens, Ako Thomas and Cody Bruder – combined to go 7 for 12 with seven runs scored and three RBIs. Harrison Wenson added a two-run homer out of the No. 5 hole, a shot that looked like it could bury the Illini down 7-2 in the fifth.
Wolverines' starting pitcher Oliver Jaskie was effective in the first 5.0 innings, allowing just two runs on five hits, but his pitch count ballooned to 108 due to eight strikeouts and three walks. All four Michigan relievers – Keith Lehmann, Mac Lozer, Ryan Nutof and William Tribucher – allowed at least one run. The Michigan bullpen combined for 3.0 innings and nine runs allowed on nine hits.
Michael Hurwitz hit his first home run of the season to start the scoring for Illinois. Hurwitz has reached base in 27 of the last 28 games.
The teams finish the series tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network. Andrew Mamlic (4-7, 3.95) is scheduled to face Michigan left-hander Evan Hill (5-4, 3.88).
