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Illinois baseball breaks out the brooms in huge sweep of in-state rival

The sweep over the Northwestern Wildcats on senior weekend at Illinois Field was the first this year for the Illini, and it was much-needed as the season winds down.
ByKamden Wollard|
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May 31, 2024; Lexington, KY, USA; Illinois catcher Jacob Schroeder (8) stands at the plate during the fourth inning of a NCAA Division I Baseball Championship game between the Indiana State Sycamores and Illinois Fighting Illini at Kentucky Proud Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
May 31, 2024; Lexington, KY, USA; Illinois catcher Jacob Schroeder (8) stands at the plate during the fourth inning of a NCAA Division I Baseball Championship game between the Indiana State Sycamores and Illinois Fighting Illini at Kentucky Proud Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Illinois baseball set the tone on Friday night, dominating Northwestern, 12-0, and starting the series with a run-rule victory.

Regan Hall earned his seventh win of the year for the Illini, going five scoreless while striking out seven and allowing only five hits.

The Illini took the first lead of the series in the second inning courtesy of Collin Jenning's team-leading 14th home run on the year. That was all the Orange and Blue needed. They exploded for seven runs in the third and added four more in the fourth for good measure.

Everyone contributed offensively as the Illini pounded 13 hits, highlighted by Jenning's big day as he added a triple, as well, to go along with that long ball. J.R. Nelson, Will Johannes, and AJ Putty all chipped in two RBI.

Will Johannes' big day for Illinois

Saturday's game provided the tilt of momentum that Illinois needed in this series. Game two led off the same way game one ended, Illinois in control.

They collected five hits in the first two innings, building up a 3-0 lead. The Wildcats did not lie down this time around.

A solo blast in the sixth gave them the bump they needed to stick around and tack on single tallies in the eighth and ninth, as well, tying the ballgame at three.

The rest was history, as they say. Will Johannes stepped up to the plate.....

Bring out the brooms

Sunday was the final time the Orange and Blue would step between the lines of Illinois Field in 2026, and they made sure to go out in style.

Sam Mommer tossed a career-high five innings on 72 pitches. In only his fourth career start, the sophomore was efficient, trusting his defense and allowing them to work. He only struck out two, but he did not give up a single hit.

The offense took advantage of the quality start from Mommer. Early and often was a theme throughout this series, as for the third day in a row, Illinois scored in the first or second inning.

Collin Jennings hit his 15th home run of the year, a three-run shot in the first. The blast positioned Jennings as tied for eighth in the race for long balls in the Big Ten.

Nick Groves had a strong 3-for-4 day with a double, a triple, and an RBI to show for it. The senior's fourth straight game with a knock. Jennings collected three more RBI, bringing his total for the weekend to six, which tied Northwestern's RBI output for the three games.

Impact and outlook

On March 1, Illinois beat Albany to extend their winning streak to five. Otherwise, the Orange and Blue haven't been able to win more than three games in a row this season. That was until last weekend, their last home weekend of the season.

The sweep officially eliminated Chicago's Big Ten Team from Big Ten Tournament contention, as they fell to 7-20 in the conference.

Pitching and Jennings led the way this past weekend, as Groves, Putty, and Johannes all added timely hitting to pitch in and help the Illini over their in-state rival.

The series victory will help to build momentum as the Illini look forward to a weekend series in Bloomington, Indiana, before the Big Ten Tournament starts next Tuesday in Omaha.

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