EVANSTON, Ill. -- Doran Turchin doubled home the go-ahead run in the 11th inning Saturday at Northwestern to lead the No. 24-ranked Illinois baseball team to a 5-4 win. The Illini won for the 13th time in the last 15 games.
Illinois (14-5, 2-0 Big Ten) clinched the series against Northwestern behind a strong effort from the bullpen. Relievers Quinten Sefcik (3.0 IP, 2 H), Ryan Schmitt (2.0 IP, 0 H) and Joey Gerber (1.0 IP, 0 H) combined to throw six scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
"The key to today was the bullpen," said head coach Dan Hartleb. "Our bullpen took a great step forward. I was really pleased with them."
The bullpen's effort got Illinois to extra innings for the first time this season. Turchin's game-winning double came with one out and drove home Bren Spillane, who opened the 11th with a single.
Northwestern (7-10, 0-2 Big Ten) had a 3-0 lead after four innings before the Illini stormed back with a run in the fifth and three more in the sixth. All three in the sixth scored with two outs, one on a Spillane double and two on a Michael Massey single.
Massey finished the day 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs. Spillane went 2-for-5, scored two runs and had his 10th steal of the season.
Andy Fisher started and give Illinois five innings, while allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits.
Illinois and Northwestern finish the three-game series Sunday at Miller Park.
Notes
• The game was started 70 minutes after its originally scheduled start time due to cold.
• Illinois has won 13 of its last 15 games.
• Michael Massey extended his career-long reached base streak to 24 games.
• Ben Troike extended his career-long reached base streak to 24 games.
• Michael Michalak extended his career-long hitting streak to seven games.
• Doran Turchin extended his hitting streak to six games.
• Illinois is 13-1 when scoring five or more.
• Bren Spillane's last five games: .609 (14-23), 6 HR, 4 2B, 16 RBI, 11 R, 36 total bases, .679 on-base percentage, 1.565 slugging percentage, 5-5 SB
• Zac Taylor snapped his career-long reached base streak at 28 games.
