The Fighting Illini had no shortage of offense in their series against the Gophers.
Minnesota gave up 23 runs to Illinois on Saturday, losing both games of a doubleheader and dropping its third-straight conference series.
The Gophers kicked off the weekend with a 5-4 victory on Friday.
The lineup had no trouble with Illini pitching, racking up 13 hits in the game. Despite all the baserunners, most of the run production came from the bat of Toby Hanson.
Hanson went 2 for 4 from the plate, with four of the team’s five RBIs. Three of those RBIs came in the third inning, when he hit a home run to right field.
He knew it was out right when he hit it, so he took his time watching it leave the park, which the home-plate umpire did not appreciate.
“Umpire just told me, ‘Next time… don’t do that again,’” Hanson said.
Pitcher Brian Glowicki came into the game to close it out, up 5-2. He gave up two unearned runs, but still locked up his 15th save of the season, giving him the most in the country, and tying him with Scott Matyas for the most in a season in school history.
“It’s always been in the back of my mind…but it’s never really the first thing you’re thinking about,” Glowicki said regarding the record.
Due to the weather forecast on Sunday, the two teams played a doubleheader on Saturday, where the Illini won the first game, 9-5.
Minnesota trailed 2-1 after giving up two runs in the fifth inning, but they would take a 5-2 lead after scoring four runs in the sixth.
Luke Pettersen, Jordan Kozicky, Terrin Vavra and Micah Coffey all had consecutive RBIs.
The ninth inning brought trouble for the Gophers as the bullpen gave up seven runs.
Tyler Hanson was replaced by Glowicki after Hanson gave up two hits. Glowicki faced four hitters, giving up two hits, one walk and a hit by pitch. Glowicki was charged with four earned runs, increasing his 0.37 ERA to 1.85 on the season.
When Glowicki was replaced by Tim Shannon, the bases were loaded with one out, and the game tied at 5. Illinois’ Jack Yalowitz was the first batter Shannon faced, and he hit a game-winning grand slam.
Yalowitz wasted no time getting the Illini back on the scoreboard at the start of the second game of the day, hitting another home run. This was the first of many runs for the Illini, as they won 14-1.
Minnesota’s starter, Toby Anderson, gave up four more runs in the third, ending his day after 2-plus innings pitched. The Illini would end up scoring eight runs in the third inning, giving them a 10-0 lead.
“I think it had an impact on us, no question about it,” Anderson said about the ninth inning meltdown in the first game. “They had the momentum, and we allowed them to keep it [with] the two home runs in the first inning.”
Anderson is now looking forward to Tuesday, when the team starts a two-game series against Georgia State.
“We can overcome today if we can show back up here on Tuesday with the right attitude,” Anderson said.
