Indiana won both games against Illinois, snapping the five-game losing streak dating back to the previous two series against Michigan State and Ohio State. Although it was supposed to be a three-game series, the series finale was canceled on Sunday due to inclement weather.
The two wins improved Indiana's record to 13-7 on the season. IU now ranks third in the Big Ten Conference, surpassing Ohio State, who dropped to fourth after losing its past two games. IU is one game behind second-place Michigan and 1.5 games back from first-place Nebraska.
Indiana won the first game 6-4 on a walk-off home run from Collin Hopkins in the bottom of the ninth inning and shut out the Illini in game two with an 8-0 victory. McCade Brown and Braydon Tucker combined for a no-hitter, the first since 1984.
Here is the full breakdown of the Indiana vs. Illinois series.
Game 1: Friday 4/9 @ 5:00 PM
LHP Tommy Sommer started the series opener for the Hoosiers and allowed three earned runs on eight hits, struck out five, and walked two through five innings. Compared to his last start against Ohio State, Sommer allowed three fewer walks but gave up three more hits. Still, he allowed three earned runs in both starts.
In the top of the first inning, SS Branden Comia hit a ground-rule double down the left-field line with one out and then advanced to third after DH Ryan Hampe grounded out to shortstop. A pitch then hit 1B Justin Janas to put runners on the corners. However, RF Cam McDonald lined out to left field to end the threat.
The Fighting Illini threatened to score once more in the top of the third. Sommer allowed back-to-back walks to Comia and Hampe to put runners on first and second. Janas then hit a ground ball to second base and reached on a fielder's choice. Hampe was thrown out while trying to advance to second base and Comia safely advanced to third, which put runners on the corners again. McDonald had another chance in the same scenario, but this time around popped out to first base to end the frame.
Indiana took a 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the inning. 1B Kip Fougerousse hit a solo home run down the left-field line, his first home run of the season.
Illinois took the lead in the top of the fifth. CF Taylor Jackson hit a leadoff single to right field and then stole second base with two outs. Janas then tripled to right-center field past the diving Richardson and Jackson scored to tie the game 1-1. McDonald then singled to right field and Janas scored to give Illinois a 2-1 lead. C Jacob Campbell doubled down the left-field line and McDonald moved to third base to put runners on second and third. 3B Jackson Raper then singled to first base and McDonald scored to extend the lead to 3-1.
In the bottom of the fifth, Indiana tied the game 3-3. SS Grant Macciocchi hit a leadoff single to right field and then DH Drew Ashley hit a two-run home run to left-center field, his third home run of the season.
Indiana regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth when 3B Cole Barr hit a solo home run to centerfield, his third of the season.
LHP Braden Scott replaced RHP John Modugno in the top of the eighth and gave up a solo home run to Raper to tie the game 4-4. RHP Nathan Stahl came in to relieve Scott, but the game was delayed due to lightning in the surrounding area.
Once the game resumed about 1 hour and 45 minutes later, Nathan Stahl pitched the top of the eighth. Stahl retired the three batters he faced and struck out one.
In the top of the ninth, Janas hit a two-out single down the left-field line and then advanced to second after McDonald singled through the right side. Next up to bat Campbell, hit a slow roller to Stahl and beat the throw at first base, which loaded up the bases. Raper, who was 4-4 before this at-bat and hit a home run in the previous inning, stepped up to the plate but flew out to center field to end the threat.
In the bottom of the last inning, Fougerousse reached base on a two-out single up the middle. C Collin Hopkins then hit a two-run walk-off home run to give Indiana a 6-4 victory, snapping the five-game losing streak. The home run was Hopkin's second of the season and third hit of the season.
Notable Performances:
DH Drew Ashley: 2-4 / 1 HR (3) / 2 RBI
3B Cole Barr: 1-4 / 1 HR (3) / 1 RBI
2B Paul Toetz: 2-4
1B Kip Fougerousse: 2-4 / 1 HR (1) / 1 RBI
C Collin Hopkins: 1-4 / 1 HR (2) / 2 RBI
Game 2: Saturday 4/10 @ 8:00 PM
In the second game of the series, Indiana pitchers McCade Brown and Braydon Tucker combined for a no-hitter, the first Indiana no-hitter since April 25th, 1984. Brown struck out nine but also struggled with command and walked seven through five innings pitched. Despite his inconsistent control, he did not let up a hit.
In the top of the second, Illinois threatened to score but stranded the bases loaded. 1B Kellen Sarver drew a two-out walk and then advanced to second base on a wild pitch. LF Jacob Campbell also drew a walk and then both runners advanced one base on another wild pitch to put runners on second and third. Brown then walked 2B Brody Harding, which loaded up the bases. However, CF Taylor Jackson flew out to right field to end the frame.
After the first nine Indiana batters were retired in order, the Hoosiers finally broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth. 3B Cole Barr drew a two-out walk and then advanced to third base after 2B Paul Toetz hit a hard ball to second base, which got by 2B Harding into right-center field for a double. 1B Kip Fougerousse then hit a single to left field and Barr and Toetz scored to make it a 2-0 game. Fougerousse advanced to second on the throw home. Colopy then hit an out-of-the-park two-run home run to left field to extend the lead 4-0.
Indiana extended its lead in the bottom of the sixth. CF Grant Richardson drew a leadoff walk but was thrown out while running to second after Toetz hit a ground ball to first base. However, Toetz reached on the fielder's choice as he beat the throw at first. Fougerousse then singled to shortstop to put runners on first and second. Toetz and Fougerousse both advanced one base on a double steal after Illinois pitcher Cole Kirschsieper stumbled on the mound and threw a pitch well in front of the plate. Next up to bat, Colopy singled to right field and Toetz and Fougerousse scored to give Indiana a 6-0 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, Indiana took an 8-0 lead. SS James Espalin had a great at-bat and drew a leadoff walk. C Collin Hopkins then bunted the ball into the air and Illinois pitcher Grant Leader dropped it, then committed a throwing error trying to start the double play at second base. The ball rolled into the outfield, allowing Espalin to advance to third. Since Illinois SS Branden Comia was in the outfield when he retrieved the ball, Espalin took advantage of his positioning and ran home to score, extending the lead to 7-0.
Meanwhile, Hopkins advanced to second base on the throwing error by Leader. DH Drew Ashley then flew out to center field and Hopkins tagged up, moving to third. Richardson then singled to left field and Hopkins scored to make it an 8-0 game.
In the top of the ninth, RF Cam McDonald reached on a throwing error by Barr but was thrown out trying to advance to second after Sarver hit a ground ball to shortstop. Sarver beat the throw at first base and reached on the fielder's choice. Next up to bat, Campbell hit a ground ball up the middle and Espalin stepped on second and fired to first for a game-ending double play. Indiana secured the 8-0 victory and a combined no-hitter.
Notable Performances:
RHP McCade Brown: 5 IP / 0 Hits / 0 ER / 9 K's / 7 Walks
RHP Braydon Tucker: 4 IP / 0 Hits / 0 ER / 1 K / 1 Walk
CF Grant Richardson: 1-2 / 1 RBI
1B Kip Fougerousse: 2-4 / 2 RBI
RF Morgan Colopy: 3-4 / 1 HR (2) / 4 RBI
Game 3: Postponed
Closing Thoughts:
In the preview for this series, I said, "If Indiana wants to do well this weekend, they undoubtedly will have to improve upon the defense and the situational hitting as the pitching was less of an issue." Despite the emphasis on the defense and situational hitting, all three aspects improved this weekend, leading the Hoosiers to success.
Indiana committed eight errors that equated to five unearned runs against Ohio State. In this series, there was only one error. While Indiana played only two games versus four last week, the defense looked sharper in the field.
Indiana relied on the long ball in the first game and there was only one chance with a runner in scoring position. Still, the situational hitting significantly improved in the second game. In total, Indiana was 4-8 (.500 avg), with runners in scoring position. That's a significant improvement from 3-30 (.100 avg) the previous weekend. Team hitting was 17-65 (.261 avg), another improvement from last weekend where the team went 18-117 (.153 avg).
The pitching held the best hitting team in the Big Ten to a .194 average, highlighted by McCade Brown and Braydon Tucker's combined no-hitter.
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This series was a great rebound by the Hoosiers. The previous four-game series against Ohio State was a tough string of losses. Yet, the team was able to bounce back and clicked on all cylinders.
Indiana is set to play a three-game road series against Northwestern this upcoming weekend in Evanston, Ill. Below are the scheduled start times for each game.
Game 1: Friday, April 16th @ 3:00 pm ET
Game 2: Saturday, April 17th @ 1:00 pm ET
Game 3: Sunday, April 18th @ 12:00 pm ET
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