Chambana Sun

Illinois baseball's journey in the NCAA Tournament came to an end after a 13-2 defeat against Indiana State at Kentucky Proud Park in Lexington. This loss marked their elimination from the tournament, concluding their performance at the Lexington Regional with one win and two losses.

Key performances for Illinois included Ryan Moerman, who went 2-for-4, scoring a run and hitting a home run. Drake Westcott also recorded a 2-for-4 performance. Brody Harding contributed with a hit and an RBI.

In terms of pitching, Ben Plumley delivered 2.2 innings from the bullpen, conceding only one run on one hit while striking out two batters. Korey Bunselmeyer provided relief with a scoreless seventh inning.

The game saw Indiana State take control early, scoring seven runs in the third inning and adding another in the sixth to lead 8-0. Illinois responded in the seventh when Harding singled home Vytas Valincius with bases loaded, but could not capitalize further due to an inning-ending double play.

Indiana State extended their lead by scoring four more runs in the eighth and one in the ninth. Moerman managed to hit his 19th home run of the season for Illinois in the ninth inning, but it was not enough to mount a comeback as they fell short at 13-2.

Notable achievements from this season include Moerman tying for third-most home runs in a single season for Illinois, matching marks reached by only five players before him since Bren Spillane's record of 23 homers in 2018. Westcott extended his hitting streak to seven games during this regional stint.

Despite being eliminated, Illinois' offense concluded their season setting a new program record with 104 home runs. The team's pitchers faced challenges against Indiana State's lineup but managed some key strikeouts throughout the game.