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Illinois survives, advances in Big Ten tournament

scott richey, the news-gazette, champaign-urbana, ill.
·2 min read

May 23—OMAHA, Neb. — Illinois escaped Thursday's elimination game in the Big Ten tournament with an extra-innings rally and a favorable call to knock off Iowa 4-2 at Charles Schwab Field.

The Illini (34-18) finally took advantage of runners in scoring position in the top of the 10th inning after Jacob Schroeder reached on a one-out single and Brody Harding doubled down the right field line. Both scored on a low liner by Coltin Quagliano into left field to regain the lead.

Illinois reliever Joe Glassey got into trouble in the bottom of the 10th, loading the bases without recording an out, but the Illini benefited from an interference call on Iowa that wiped out a run and saddled the Hawkeyes with two outs. Glassey struck out Iowa's Ben Wilmes to end the game and keep Illinois' tournament hopes alive.

"It's one of those deals where that's a tough call," Illinois coach Dan Hartleb said. "It's in the rule book. It's tough on the umpires. I feel bad for (Iowa coach Rick Heller) in that situation. We found a way to win. Bottom line.

"We found a way to win a really tight game. It was back and forth and really proud of our guys for keeping their composure."

The Illini will play the loser of Thursday's nightcap in Omaha between Penn State and Michigan. The Nittany Lions beat Illinois 8-4 and the Wolverines beat Iowa in extra innings on Wednesday.

Schroeder, Harding and Camden Janik all had two hits for Illinois in Thursday's extra-innings win against Iowa. The Illini struck first with Cal Hejza drawing a bases-loaded walk in the fourth inning, and Quagliano drove in Harding in the sixth with a sacrifice fly.

Illinois starter Cooper Omans exited the game after 5 1/3 innings with a 2-0 lead. Iowa quickly tied the game off the Illini bullpen, however, with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Ben Plumley got through the seventh and eighth innings unscathed after finishing the sixth, and Glassey got the win after striking out the side in the ninth — on 11 pitches — and surviving the bottom of the 10th.