CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The Illinois baseball team split a doubleheader Friday against Iowa at Illinois Field. The Illini won the opener 12-8 before dropping the final game of the series 8-3.
Illinois (23-28, 9-15 Big Ten) finished its season with Lou Boudreau Day and Senior Day in the nightcap. Seniors Anthony Drago, Trent Hammond, Matthew James, Zack Kolakowski, Pat McInerney, Dan Rowbottom, Grey Schultz and student manager Hailey Leviton were celebrated. A ceremony was also done for Illinois Athletics Hall of Famer Lou Boudreau's family to celebrate the anniversary of Boudreau's jersey No. 5 retirement and his induction to Illinois' hall of fame.
Iowa (34-19, 15-9 Big Ten) moves on to next week's Big Ten Tournament.
Game 1 - Illinois 12, Iowa 8
Illinois scored eight runs in the seventh inning in the first game of the doubleheader to come from behind and beat Iowa 12-8.
Illinois went 7 for 15 (.467) with runners in scoring position and 16 for 38 (.421) overall. Five Illini had multiple hits, led by three-hit games from Michael Massey and Bren Spillane, who each drove in three runs.
Ryan Schmitt (5-2) earned the win in 2 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. He got the last out of the seventh and stayed in to finish the eighth and ninth while allowing one run on one hit.
Iowa led 7-2 going to the bottom of the seventh before Illinois put up its eight-spot. Kyle Shimp (5-1) took the loss by allowing four runs (two earned) and getting just one out.
Game 2 - Iowa 8, Illinois 3
Pat McInerney hit his team-best 15th home run of the season in the first inning but Iowa's Jake Adams hit two homers as the Hawkeyes beat Illinois 8-3. Adams finished off the Big Ten home runs title with his 23rd and 24th shots of the season.
Spillane had his second straight three-hit game to finish the day 6 for 8 with three RBIs. McInerney went 4 for 8 during the two games, including his 28th career homer and five RBIs.
Matthew James (1-2) was tagged with the loss after going five innings and allowing three runs on four hits while striking out four.
Elijah Wood (1-0) turned in a quality start for Iowa. He allowed three in the first, before settling in to allow three runs on 10 hits in 7 1/3 innings.
