Illinois split a four-game series with Michigan this weekend in Evanston. They won both Game 1s while Blue took the second game both days. In a lot of ways, each day was duplicate of the other. A solid pitching effort with timely hitting in game 1 then a drubbing by Michigan in game 2.
For a couple hours both days, Illinois enjoyed an .500 record. When all was said and done, Illinois ended up with a 15-16 record.
Saturday Game 1
 | Michigan | 4 |
 | Illinois | 5 |
In a seven-inning affair, Illinois hitters hit four homers on Saturday. That accounted for all of the offense for the good guys but fortunately, that was all was needed. Ryan Hampe. Kellen Sarver and Cam McDonald all hit solo shots. Jackson Raper clocked in with a two-run homer which put Illinois over Michigan in the fifth.
Andrew Hoffmann registered a solid pitching effort for 5 1/3 innings. He gave up five hits and three earned runs. Cole Kirschsieper (3-3) came in for a scoreless appearance with a relief win.
Saturday Game 2
| Michigan | 18 |
| Illinois | 8 |
In Game 2 on Saturday, Michigan let loose with the bat and roughed up the Illini pitching staff. Unfortunately, that means Nate Lavender (5-1) was tagged with his first loss of the year. Clayton Johnson managed to get the last two outs and end the carnage.
Centerfielder Taylor Jackson hit his first homer of the year. He went 2 for 4 with two ribbies and three runs scored.
FightingIllini.com recap of Saturday
Sunday Game 1
| Illinois | 13 |
| Milwaukee | 7 |
Coming off his no-hitter, I’m sure Riley Gowens may have felt some pressure on the mound this weekend. Well, Michigan put any idea of no-hitter out of our heads early. The very first batter hit a solo homer in the first inning.
Fortunately, Jackson Raper had a career day.
Hitting for the cycle, Raper went 4 for 5 with seven rbis. And yes, he hit a homerun in the first inning, a two-run single in the fourth, a triple in the fifth and a double in the seventh.
Ryan O’Hara got the win thanks to a five-run fifth inning rally. He’s now 3-0.
Sunday Game 2
| Illinois | 4 |
| Milwaukee | 19 |
Sunday’s last game was pretty much a carbon copy of the day before. Michigan got to four of Illinois pitchers until Alex Vera was able to get the last two outs without and damage. All told, Blue scored 18 runs on 19 hits.
Illinois connected on four hits in the seven-inning game. Two of them belonged to Champaign-native Kellen Sarver who went 2 for 3 with a homer in the sixth inning.
FightingIllini.com recap of Saturday
Random Ramblings
I know the players give it their all and sure wish they could have won all four games against Michigan. For me, I consider it a moral victory to split against a #22 team.
In two of the games (in fact, the ones we won), Cole Kirschsieper was brought in the ninth inning. This is purely conjecture on my part but I’m wondering if the former starter is becoming closest thing Illinois has to a closer now. If so, I approve. The Lincoln-Way East product hasn’t given up an earned run in his last five appearances. That stretches over 11 2/3 innings.
Jackson Raper’s stats for the weekend were impressive. He went 7 for 16 with two homeruns and 10 rbis. His season total of 9 homers and 36 rbis leads the team and is third in the Big Ten. I think… The Big Ten site says he has 38 rbis. I have noticed a discrepancy between Fighting Illini’s stats and the Big Ten site. I don’t know about you but I’m going with our local sources until I hear different.
If you’re wondering, the last Illini to hit for the cycle was Justin Parr during Illinois’ 17-6 defeat of Purdue on April 14, 2013. That’s Justin above pulling into third base for the triple he hit in that game. Here is the recap I wrote on that game eight years ago.
Useless but fun trivia: the music that plays when Ryan O’Hara is warming up during home games is I’m Shipping Up to Boston by the Dropkick Murphys. Love that song!
Next Up
Home baseball next weekend! Illinois baseball will host 19-13 Maryland at Illinois Field for a Friday-Saturday-Sunday series.