EVANSTON, Ill. – The Fighting Illini dropped the final game of this weekend's four game series at Northwestern, 6-3, to split the weekend series with the Wildcats. Delaney Rummell hit a three-run home run in the first inning to give the Illini a three-run lead, but the Illini were unable to plate any more runs in the Sunday afternoon series finale. Illinois is now 22-14 on the season following the four game series at Northwestern.
Avrey Steiner began the game with another leadoff single, followed by a sacrifice bunt by Kailee Powell and a single by Bella Loya which put runners on the corners with one out. The Illini scored in the first inning for the fourth game this series as Delaney Rummell crushed a three-run home run to right field, putting the Illini in front 3-0 heading into the bottom of the first with Sydney Sickels taking the circle.
Northwestern put two runs on the board with back-to-back doubles to begin the home half of the second inning to cut into the Illini lead. In the bottom of the third, the Wildcats scored three more runs on a pair of sacrifice fly balls and a solo home run to take a 5-3 lead over the Illini heading into the fourth inning.
Addy Jarvis entered to pitch in the fifth inning, replacing Sickels who went 4.0 innings for the Orange and Blue, giving up seven hits and five earned runs while striking out one. Northwestern added another run in the fifth on a solo home run to take a 6-3 lead. Jarvis went 2.0 innings and gave up one run while striking out one.
UP NEXT
Illinois is back home for the final home series of the season against Ohio State next weekend, May 7-9. The first game of the series will be Friday, May 7 with first pitch at 5 pm CT on BTN+.
