Weekend Review: Indiana Baseball Momentum Halted At Illinois

Indiana baseball lost two of three at Illinois Field as the Hoosiers continue to be inconsistent.

Indiana pitcher Cole Gilley and catcher Jake Stadler bump fists. Gilley's pitching effort helped the Hoosiers win Saturday's game against Illinois, but the Hoosiers were beaten in the other two games. | Indiana athletics

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana had momentum coming off of its Big Ten home sweep against Michigan State last Monday.

Though Indiana had battled through inconsistency all season, the three wins over the Spartans had the Hoosiers in the top five of the Big Ten and in a position to make a late-season run at another NCAA Tournament bid.

Moreover, Indiana’s pitching staff seemed to be coming together, an encouraging sign from a unit that had struggled.

A weekend series at Illinois was going to be a test of just how far the Hoosiers might be able to progress, but Indiana suffered a reverse in fortune.

Illinois took two of the three games against the Hoosiers in Champaign. The Hoosiers lost 4-2 on Friday, bounced back with a 12-3 victory on Saturday, but then were trounced 15-1 in Sunday’s finale.

In Friday’s opener, Illinois pitchers Tyler Schmitt and Zach Bates held the Hoosiers’ powerful lineup in check as Indiana only had five hits. Illinois made their three-run third inning stick for the rest of the contest.

Indiana was far better on Saturday in an 11-hit attack that yielded 12 runs. A five-run second inning and a four-run fifth inning got the job done. Hogan Denny was 3-for-4 with 3 RBI and a home run in the contest. Caleb Koskie was 3-for-5 with 3 RBI while star prospect Devin Taylor was 2-for-5.

After starting pitcher Ben Grable gave up two earned runs in 3 2/3 innings, Cole Gilley allowed just one run in 5 1/3 innings of relief to secure the Indiana victory.

Indiana suffered a meltdown in the series decider on Sunday. Illinois (20-13, 9-6) scored in every inning it came to the plate, including an 8-0 start through two innings. Indiana starting pitcher Gavin Seebold gave up all eight of those runs. Indiana only managed four hits, with the run being scored on a pinch-hit home run by Tyler DeMartino.

Indiana (20-16, 10-8) fell behind both lllinois and Washington in the Big Ten standings. The Hoosiers fell to a tie with Penn State for seventh place in the Big Ten.

With six Big Ten series in the books, Indiana has won two of them – sweeps of Ohio State and Michigan State. Indiana has lost series against Penn State, UCLA, USC and Illinois.

Indiana’s remaining series are home series against Maryland and Purdue and road series at Iowa and Michigan.

Indiana has work to do on its resume if it wants to contend for a NCAA Tournament bid. Indiana is 5-9 against Quad 1-2 RPI opponents. Indiana is ranked 72nd in RPI as of Monday, not likely to be good enough to make the NCAA Tournament without marquee wins.

That series with Maryland begins on Friday as the Terrapins (16-21, 4-11) have been below their usual NCAA Tournament-contending standard in 2025.

The Hoosiers also host Indiana State on Tuesday. After several seasons in the national spotlight, the Sycamores are just 18-17 this season.