Box Score BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Illinois baseball team dropped a 9-2 decision Sunday to No. 15 Indiana at Bart Kaufman Field. Indiana clinched the series 2-1.
Illinois (25-14, 10-5 Big Ten) was limited to two runs on eight hits in the game and six runs on 22 hits in the series.
"I was disappointed in our offense," said head coach Dan Hartleb. "We just haven't strung a lot of hits together. You have to have quality at-bats to put pressure on the pitchers and we weren't able to do that all weekend."
Indiana (31-10, 9-5 Big Ten) lowered its NCAA-leading team ERA to 2.40. Lefty Tim Herrin (3-0) turned in a quality seven-inning performance for the Hoosiers, allowing two runs while scattering six hits in his longest outing this season.
Indiana hit three homers, including back-to-back home runs in the second inning to open a 3-0 lead. Scott Bradley, Matt Gorski and Justin Walker all homered for the Hoosiers.
Michael Massey and Michael Michalak led Illinois with two hits. Michalak drove in a run with an infield single in the seventh and Bren Spillane had an RBI sac fly in the fourth.
Ty Weber (4-2) took the loss, allowing six runs in six innings. Weber struck out a career-high nine batters.
Illinois returns home for four games next week at Illinois Field. The Illini host Southern Illinois on Tuesday before a weekend series against Ohio State. Friday's game is the annual Bleacher Bum BBQ.
Notes
• The game was televised nationally on Big Ten Network.
• Illinois has lost six of its last eight games.
• Illinois is 116-79-1 all-time against Indiana.
• Illinois is 8-9 against Indiana since 2012.
• Illinois is 2-3 against top-25 opponents.
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Ben Troike extended his reached base streak to 44 games, the fifth longest active streak in the nation.
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Bren Spillane snapped an eight-game hitting streak.
