IOWA CITY, Iowa —  Illinois and Iowa split Saturday's doubleheader as the two teams played a combined 22 innings of baseball on the afternoon. Illinois (14-14, 6-2) won the second game 7-5 in 13 innings to improve to 6-2 in the conference after dropping game one 4-2. Illinois and Iowa (16-11, 3-2) will play the rubber game of the series tomorrow at Banks Field at 2 p.m. CT.
GAME ONE (Iowa 4, Illinois 2)
The Illini comeback effort fell short in game one of the afternoon doubleheader as Illinois was able to put the tying run on first base in the top of the ninth inning but were ultimately unable to complete the comeback. Taylor Jackson went 2-for-4 with two singles in the game, while Justin Janas went 1-for-3 with his third home run of the season, a solo shot to right field.
LHP Cole Kirschsieper (4-2) started the first game of the afternoon for the Illini, throwing four innings while giving up three runs and striking out five. Jack Wenninger came out of the bullpen in relief of Kirschsieper, allowing just one run on two hits in four innings. Iowa's Dylan Nedved earned the win to move to 3-2 on the year.
GAME TWO (Illinois 7, Iowa 5 – 13 innings)
Iowa scored first in game two, putting up two runs in the third inning. Illinois got on the board in the sixth inning and followed up with a three-run seventh inning as Branden Comia came through with a clutch two-RBI double to knot the score at four.
Iowa hit a leadoff home run in the home half of the seventh inning to take a 5-4 lead which would remain until the top of the ninth inning with two outs when Jacob Campbell singled up the middle to score Danny Doligale and tie the score at five.
The game went another three innings when the Illini scored two runs in the top of the 13th to take a 7-5 lead over the Hawkeyes. Joe Glassey was lights-out out of the bullpen, throwing three scoreless no-hit innings and striking out six to move to 1-0 on the season. Iowa's DeTaeye (0-1) took the loss.
Jack Crowder started for the Illini, throwing five innings while allowing four runs on seven hits and one walk. The Illinois bullpen played a huge role in the win, combining for eight innings and allowing just one run on three hits while striking out 12.
NOTES
• Cam McDonald reached base in every game this season (28-game on base streak).
• Branden Comia has hit safely in 12 consecutive games.
• Justin Janas was hit by a pitch for a team-leading tenth time this season in game one.
• A combined 16 pitchers were used between the two teams in game two.
• Illinois has recorded 10+ hits in 17 of 28 games this season.
• Game two was four hours and forty seven minutes.
• A combined 458 pitches were thrown in game two.
