CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Jack Yalowitz hit a go-ahead double in the seventh inning Saturday to give the No. 25 Illinois baseball team a 5-4 lead and eventual series-clinching win over Purdue at Illinois Field. Illinois goes for the sweep Sunday at 4 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network.
Illinois (33-16, 12-8 Big Ten) came back from a 4-2 deficit in the sixth inning to win for the 11th time in the last 14 games. The Illini made an uncharacteristic two errors in the top of the sixth to plate three Purdue runs, but answered back to tie the game in the bottom half with help from doubles by Grant Van Scoy and Michael Michalak.
Illinois did not play sharp but still managed to leave Saturday with a win. The Illini made three errors for just the second time this season, went 4-for-19 with runners in scoring position and 0-for-4 with the bases loaded.
Illini pitching, however, was sharp, allowing only one earned run. Starter Ty Weber went 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs (one earned) on eight hits, before the bullpen took over and allowed just one hit the rest of the way.
"Overall, we pitched really well," said head coach Dan Hartleb. "Weber was good we just did not make many plays for him."
After Weber, Josh Harris got one out, Ryan Schmitt picked up the win in 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, Nathan Lavender got an out and Quinten Sefcik earned his second save by throwing a 1-2-3 ninth.
Purdue (19-30, 7-12 Big Ten) only had one extra-base hit and was outhit by Illinois, 14-9. Six Illini had multiple hits, led by three-hit days from Branden Comia and Jack Yalowitz. Zac Taylor had two hits and stole two bases a day after hitting a walk-off three-run homer.
The two teams are back at Illinois Field to finish the series Sunday at 4 p.m. CT. Big Ten Network will televise the game nationally.
Notes
• Illinois has equaled its win total from last season (33-20).
• Illinois has won 11 of its last 14 games.
• Illinois is 11-3 in its last 14 Big Ten games. After starting conference play 1-5, Illinois is now 12-8.
• Illinois is 17-4 at home.
• Illinois has won four of the last five series against Purdue.
• Illinois is 10-4 in one-run games.
• Opponent are hitting .201 with runners in scoring position against Illinois this season (87/438), including 28-165 (.170) with runners in scoring position at Illinois Field. Purdue is 2-16 in the series.
• Illinois is 30-5 when issuing fewer than seven walks. The Illini are 3-11 when walking seven or more (of those 14 games, 11 have been on the road and one has been a neutral site game.)
• The start of the game was delayed four hours due to rain.
• Illinois is ranked No. 25 by D1Baseball.
• Hitting streaks: Yalowitz 5
• Reached base streaks: Massey 17, Michalak 7, Yalowitz 5
