The ‘Cats showed few signs of life in Champaign.
After taking two of three games against Maryland, Northwestern (12-28, 2-10 B1G) traveled to Champaign for a three-game weekend set against the Fighting Illini (23-13, 10-2 B1G). The ‘Cats hoped to carry over their momentum from the series win over the Terps, but they wound up getting swept.
In game one, Owen McElfatrick got things started off with a bang for NU, cranking a two-run shot to center field in the top of the first. But Illinois designated hitter Jacob Schroeder responded with one of his own in the second to cut the lead in half. After Camden Janik knocked in another run for the Illini in the third to tie the game, Ben Greenspan took struggling pitcher Nolan Morr out of the game.
A pitching change proved to be ineffective for Northwestern. Matt McClure would give up three runs in the bottom of the fourth off a pair of singles and a groundout that advanced another runner home to make it a 5-2 ballgame. Northwestern continued to fight, scoring another run off a fifth-inning Griffin Arnone double, but the late effort was too little, as NU dropped game one 5-3.
The ‘Cats looked to rebound in game two, but they struggled in all aspects. Starting pitcher Jack Dyke could not make it out of the second inning after giving up two earned runs. Although Kyle Potthoff ate over five innings for NU, he allowed three runs of his own, first off of a two-run shot from Connor Milton in the fourth and then from a seventh-inning knock by Drake Westcott.
McElfatrick got Northwestern on the board in the eighth off a single to right field. But Milton smashed his second moonshot of the day to add two runs to Illinois’s total and quell any attempts by Northwestern to make a comeback. The ‘Cats wound up losing 7-1.
It was Northwestern who struck first in game three, with Preston Knott cashing in a run off a passed ball. A Coltin Quagliano single in the second tied up the game. He knocked in another run in the fourth, before Milton hit his third homer of the game to give Illinois three more runs and a commanding 5-1 lead.
After Illinois scored one more in the fifth, Northwestern got back on the board in the sixth off a two run shot by Arnone to make it 6-3. However, Janik crushed a grand slam for the Illini in the bottom of the inning to help his team reach double digits. The ‘Cats tried to stay in the game, scoring four runs in the final two innings. But their effort was far from enough, and they lost 11-7 as Illinois completed the sweep.
On the individual level, a handful of players enjoyed success against the in-state rival. Griffin Arnone tallied four hits and three RBIs, Preston Knott extended his hit streak to 10 with a hit in each match and Owen McElfatrick reached base seven times across the trio of games.
This week, NU will play four games. The team starts the week by hosting Illinois State on Tuesday before a weekend series against Purdue that includes a Friday night game at Wrigley Field.