Indiana (21-30) faced Illinois (27-23) in the season’s finale. While Indiana’s season has disappointed, the Hoosiers impressed in front of their fans with a series win over the Illini. Indiana was swept by Purdue last weekend, but made things right this weekend.
Thursday: Indiana 10, Illinois 4
Off a five-game losing skid, Indiana executed flawlessly and won a clean game over the Illini. Winning this way has been abnormal for Indiana, but it was normalized in this series.
Indiana started the game hot as Caleb Koskie hit an RBI double, which scored Hogan Denny in the first inning. Then the Hoosiers exploded in the second with four runs.
Indiana executed small-ball in this inning, as all runs were scored on sacrifices or singles. Indiana jumped out to a 5-0 lead and never looked back.
Tony Neubeck would pitch for 6.1 innings in this affair, giving up three runs, but kept Indiana in control throughout.
In the sixth, Owen Ten Oever continued his rise, as he hit a home run that made it 9-1. Indiana would allow three more runs late in the game, as has been their struggle all season, but it wasn’t enough for Illinois. Indiana exited the game with a comfortable 10-4 victory.
Friday: Illinois 9, Indiana 7
Indiana lost in 10 innings to Illinois, despite their late-game heroics. The Hoosiers put up four runs in the ninth inning to extend the game. Indiana has been the team accustomed to giving up leads late, but this time it was they with the comeback. Unfortunately for Indiana, their magic ran out, and they faltered in the tenth inning.
In the first, third, and fifth innings, Koskie was able to generate an RBI, which gave the Hoosiers their only three runs at that point and knotted the game up at 3-3. Conner Linn gave up all three runs in the first inning as he continued his struggles as of late.
In the eighth, Illinois hit a three-run homer to go up four, off pitcher Reagan Rivera.
In the ninth inning, Will Moore kicked off the comeback with a solo home run. Then Denny hit a three-run homer, which scored Ayden Crouse and Cole Decker and tied the game.
Indiana would waste this heroic though, as Illinois scored two off of Rivera in the tenth. Rivera’s late-game struggle caused Indiana to lose a game that could’ve been their brightest spot of the season, in the seasons penultimate game.
Saturday: Indiana 11, Illinois 2
The season’s finale presented itself as a pitchers’ duel until Indiana cracked it open in the fourth.
Indiana had one of its best pitching performances of the season from the trio of Brayton Thomas, Pete Haas and Kellen English, who allowed two runs over nine innings.
In the fourth inning, Cal Gates hit a grand slam, which broke the game wide open for the Hoosiers.
In the fifth, Illinois grabbed two solo homers, which would be their only offense of the night.
Jake Hanley hit a two-run blast to left, which drove home Denny, and made it 8-2.
Indiana scored three in the seventh, which would be their last of the season, as they claimed a needed victory at home for senior night.
Indiana finished 14th in the Big Ten Conference and will miss the tournament. The Hoosier had a solid weekend to round out their season, despite the disappointment the season was. Indiana’s best performance of the season came in their final game, as they played an entire clean baseball game. Caleb Koskie was a specific bright spot in these games as he made an offensive impact in all three outings.
Indiana wraps up the season with a 23-31 record.