BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana's Drew Ashley hit a walk-off homer in the 12th inning Saturday to beat the Illinois baseball team 2-1 at Bart Kaufman Field. The homer evened the series ahead of Sunday's 1 p.m. CT rubber game on Big Ten Network.
Illinois (25-13, 10-4Â Big Ten) scored a run with two outs in the ninth to force extra-innings of what was the longest game of the Illini's season. Jack Yalowitz singled up the middle on the first pitch he saw from B.J. Sabol to score Bren Spillane and even the score 1-1. The hit was the first by a left-hander off the lefty Sabol this season in 26 at-bats.
Indiana (30-10, 8-5 Big Ten) scored a run in the first inning before Illini starter Quinn Snarskis went seven innings while allowing one run on seven hits. Snarskis dueled with Indiana starter Cam Beauchamp, who held Illinois scoreless on two hits over the first six innings.Â
Each team's bullpen was outstanding before Ashley's wind-aided homer to right field on a 1-0 pitch from Ryan Thompson to lead off the 12th. Indiana's pen allowed one run on three hits in six innings and Illinois' bullpen allowed one run on three hits in four innings.Â
Matt Lloyd (3-0), who started the game at second base, held Illinois scoreless over the final 3 1/3 innings to get the win. Thompson (7-3) took the loss.
Yalowitz had two of the Illini's five hits. Spillane, Michael Michalak and Doran Turchin all added singles and Ben Troike had two walks to extend his reached base streak to 43 games.
Sunday's series finale will feature Ty Weber on the mound for Illinois against Indiana left-handed Tim Herrin.
Notes
• Illinois played its longest game of the season.
• Illinois is 2-2 in extra-inning games.
• Illinois is 9-3 in one-run games.
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Ben Troike extended his career-long reached base streak to 43 games, tied for the third longest active streak in the nation.
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Bren Spillane extended his hitting streak to eight games.
