CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Cole Van Assen teamed up with relievers Austin Klug and Avery Cook for eight innings of three-run ball while limiting the Fighting Illini to two extra-base hits, but Illinois led throughout for the second day in a row to defeat Purdue Baseball 3-1 in Saturday's pitcher's duel.
Illinois starter Reagan Hall won his fourth consecutive start, needing only 90 pitches over eight innings of one-run ball in the sophomore's most-efficient performance of the season. He surrendered just one hit to the first four hitters in the Boilermakers' lineup and conceded just six total on the day.
The four combined runs were the fewest in a Purdue-Illinois game in Champaign since the Illini won a 2-1 series finale in April 2015.
Cole Van Assen threw 91 pitches over five-plus innings of two-run ball for the Boilermakers (24-18, 6-12 Big Ten). The sophomore struck out five, including four in a row to conclude his first trip through the Illinois lineup. The only extra-base hit Van Assen allowed was a hustle double through the right side of the infield to begin the game.
Both teams turned a pair of double plays to back up their pitchers. Illinois (25-15, 12-8 Big Ten) also got two outs on one play in the sixth inning as Purdue scored its only run of the day on a squeeze bunt executed by Camden Gasser. Albert Choi was thrown out at the plate on the backside of the play as the Boilermakers tried to catch the Illini flatfooted and tie the game.
Choi connected for doubles to left field in his first two at-bats. When he doubled over the left fielder's head in the sixth inning, Purdue had runners on second and third with no outs after Ty Gill had led off the inning with a bunt single. Hall came through with a big strikeout for the first out of the inning and the Illini kept the lead when Choi was out at the plate after Gasser's squeeze bunt scored Gill.
Illinois scored its runs on a pair of RBI singles from Cameron Chee-Aloy and a first-inning base hit from Vytas Valincius that produced his 50th RBI of the season. Chee-Aloy beat out a two-out infield hit in the fifth inning and took advantage of the drawn-in infield in the bottom of the seventh.
Van Assen struck out the side in order on 13 pitches in the second inning.
The Boilermakers have lost eight of their last nine road games since March 9. They won at Penn State last Sunday to stave off a sweep, a feat they'll look to duplicate Sunday at Illinois Field. The first pitch of Sunday's series finale is slated for 2 p.m. ET.
Illinois starter Reagan Hall won his fourth consecutive start, needing only 90 pitches over eight innings of one-run ball in the sophomore's most-efficient performance of the season. He surrendered just one hit to the first four hitters in the Boilermakers' lineup and conceded just six total on the day.
The four combined runs were the fewest in a Purdue-Illinois game in Champaign since the Illini won a 2-1 series finale in April 2015.
Cole Van Assen threw 91 pitches over five-plus innings of two-run ball for the Boilermakers (24-18, 6-12 Big Ten). The sophomore struck out five, including four in a row to conclude his first trip through the Illinois lineup. The only extra-base hit Van Assen allowed was a hustle double through the right side of the infield to begin the game.
Both teams turned a pair of double plays to back up their pitchers. Illinois (25-15, 12-8 Big Ten) also got two outs on one play in the sixth inning as Purdue scored its only run of the day on a squeeze bunt executed by Camden Gasser. Albert Choi was thrown out at the plate on the backside of the play as the Boilermakers tried to catch the Illini flatfooted and tie the game.
Choi connected for doubles to left field in his first two at-bats. When he doubled over the left fielder's head in the sixth inning, Purdue had runners on second and third with no outs after Ty Gill had led off the inning with a bunt single. Hall came through with a big strikeout for the first out of the inning and the Illini kept the lead when Choi was out at the plate after Gasser's squeeze bunt scored Gill.
Illinois scored its runs on a pair of RBI singles from Cameron Chee-Aloy and a first-inning base hit from Vytas Valincius that produced his 50th RBI of the season. Chee-Aloy beat out a two-out infield hit in the fifth inning and took advantage of the drawn-in infield in the bottom of the seventh.
Van Assen struck out the side in order on 13 pitches in the second inning.
The Boilermakers have lost eight of their last nine road games since March 9. They won at Penn State last Sunday to stave off a sweep, a feat they'll look to duplicate Sunday at Illinois Field. The first pitch of Sunday's series finale is slated for 2 p.m. ET.