CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Pinch hitter Tyler Engel drew a walk-off walk in the 11th inning Friday as Illinois beat Northwestern 4-3 in the opener of a three-game series. Engel took a 3-2 pitch below the knees to end the game just before midnight.
Illinois (13-18, 2-5 Big Ten) won its second straight game in extra innings and won its second straight Big Ten game. It was the longest game of the season for the Illini.
Engel had his bases-loaded opportunity in the 11th after Mark Skonieczny doubled, Doran Turchin singled and Northwestern (12-21, 2-5 Big Ten) intentionally walked Dan Rowbottom. Northwestern reliever Pete Hofman (1-1) was ahead in the count 1-2, but Engel fouled off a 2-2 pitch and saw a curveball up and fastball down to win it.
Hofman had retired nine straight Illini before the 11th. He came in in the eighth after the Wildcats tied the game with single tallies in the seventh and eighth innings.
Freshman Ty Weber gave Illinois a quality start in his first Friday night outing. He went seven innings, while allowing four hits and two runs (one earned), and exited with a 3-2 lead. Ryan Thompson (2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R), Joey Gerber (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R) and Ryan Schmitt (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R) combined to go four innings and allow just one run on one hit out of the bullpen.
Illinois scored its first three runs off of Northwestern starter Cooper Wetherbee. Hammond doubled home two runs with two outs in the fourth and Turchin, who had three hits, smashed an opposite field homer in the sixth.
The teams are back in action Saturday at 3 p.m. CT at Illinois Field.
