On Saturday, the University of Illinois baseball team split with Indiana in a wild and woolly afternoon.
Start with the fact that it was snowy.
In the first game, down by three and in the top of the seventh, Illini Mike Rohde hit a two-out grand slam which proved to be the game winner.
In the second game, Illinois had leads of 7-2 and 8-6 but by the bottom of the seventh it was 13-10, Illinois. Here’s what happened in the seventh according to the article on fightingillini.com:
Indiana had a runner on first with two outs when IU clean-up hitter Ryan Parker hit a high pop fly to second base that looked like it would end the game, however, Illinois second baseman Shawn Roof, who had just entered the game as a defensive replacement for Kyes, dropped the sure out and giving the Hoosiers new life.
At this point, things got really weird. With two on, the next hitter Zach Boswell hit a bullet down the first baseline that went all the way to the corner and disappeared under the bullpen chairs. Rightfielder Trevor Huisinga ran over, couldn’t find the ball and threw his hands in the air for a moment, signaling a lodged ball. Meanwhile Boswell continued to circle the bases, scoring behind Jay Brant and Parker on an apparent inside-the-park three-run home run. As Indiana cheered, the Illini protested and the umpires gathered to decide if the HR would be allowed or if it would be called a ground-rule double. After about five minutes of deliberation, it was declared a home run and the game was tied at 13-13 and heading to extra innings.
Indiana would later win the game in the bottom of the ninth on a one out single by Parker to salvage the split.
Gotta love college baseball.
Update: Illinois won the last game on Sunday 7-5 to take the series. Jake Stewart, in his first career start, got the win.