LEXINGTON, KY (ChambanaToday) – Illinois baseball (35-21) fell to Indiana State (44-14), 13-2, today at Kentucky Proud Park.
The defeat eliminates the Illini from the NCAA Tournament, who went 1-2 at the Lexington Regional against the Sycamores.
Ryan Moerman went 2-for-4 with a run, home run and RBI. Drake Westcott also went 2-for-4 at the dish. Brody Harding went 1-for-4 with an RBI.
Ben Plumley turned in 2.2 innings of one-run ball out of the bullpen, allowing just one hit and striking out two. Korey Bunselmeyer turned in a scoreless seventh in relief.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Sycamores broke the deadlock with seven runs in the third and then added a run in the sixth to make it 8-0.
Illinois broke the run when Harding singled home Vytas Valincius in the seventh with the bases loaded, but an inning-ending double play prevented the Illini from turning in a big inning.
Indiana State then pushed the lead to 13-1 after four runs in the eighth and adding another in the ninth.
Moerman would slug a solo home run, his 19th of the season, in the bottom of the ninth, but the Orange and Blue were unable to put any more runs on the board, ultimately falling 13-2.
GAME NOTES
» Ryan Moerman went 2-for-4 with a run, home run and RBI.
» Finishes the season with 19 home runs, tied for third-most all-time in a single season in program history…just five players have reached that mark.
» Most home runs by an Illini in a single season since Bren Spillane hit 23 in 2018.
» Drake Westcott went 2-for-4.
» Extended his hitting streak to seven games…has gone 12-for-31 (.387) during that span with two doubles, two home runs and nine RBI.
» Brody Harding went 1-for-4.
» Hit safely and picked up an RBI in all three games of the Lexington Regional.
» Connor Milton went 1-for-3.
» Hit safely in all three games of the Lexington Regional.
» Extended his on-base streak to 22 games.
» The Illini offense finishes their record-breaking season with 104 home runs.
» Ben Plumley allowed just one run over 2.2 innings of work.
» 2.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R/ER, 2 BB, 2 SO
» Has allowed just one earned run in his last 11.0 innings of work (0.87 ERA, 7 G).
» Korey Bunselmeyer worked a perfect seventh inning.
» Has not allowed a run in his last 5.0 innings of work (3 G).
» Illinois pitchers faced 46 Indiana State hitters in the game, allowing six ground balls and 11 fly balls while striking out eight.