CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In a game that had a combined 30 runs, 36 hits, 14 home runs and six errors, the Illini fell by a score of 16-14. The contest was a back-and-forth battle all afternoon.
Northwestern (8-5) scored the first six runs of the game before Illinois responded with eight runs of their own. The momentum swings continued as the Wildcats grabbed the next six runs, only to have the Illini score the next five runs.
The game headed to the ninth inning with the Illini leading 13-12, but that lead did not hold for long. Â Northwestern put up four runs in the top half of the ninth. Illinois gave an effort in the bottom half of the inning but was unable to climb all the way back with only one run crossing the plate.
The Illini clobbered five home runs in the game. Two of those home runs were courtesy of senior 3B Jackson Raper. He launched a pair of three-run homers in the fourth and the seventh innings. He finished the game with six RBIs. The two homers today are in addition to his three-run homer from Friday. He is the first Illini player to have two home runs in a game since Branden Comia on May 18, 2019 at Michigan State.
Comia had his second consecutive four-hit day on Saturday. Comia went 4-for-5 with a home run, two RBIs, two runs scored and a walk. His home run was a game-tying blast in the eighth inning to knot the score at 12-12. Sophomore C Ryan Hampe came up after Comia and went back-to-back with a go-ahead, solo homer to left field.
The one other home run from Illinois was off the bat of sophomore catcher Jacob Campbell. With the score tied at 6-6 in the fifth inning, Campbell sent out a go-ahead, two-run homer to left-center field. Campbell wrapped up his day 2-for-4 with two RBIs, two runs scored and a walk.
Northwestern hit nine home runs in the game matching the Illinois Field single-game team home run record. The record was set by Illinois on April 30, 1991 vs. UIC.
Illinois (7-7) will look to grab a series win tomorrow against Northwestern at 1 p.m. CT. The Illini will send out freshman LHP Cole Kirschsieper for the series finale.
