CHAMPAIGN — Dan Hartleb added a new wrinkle of situational baseball during Illinois' weekend series against No. 19 Indiana. The Illini coach has revamped how he approaches the designated hitter and started junior pitcher Ty Weber in that spot Sunday against the Hoosiers.
For the second time in three games.
Weber, who has zero career at-bats, was never going to the plate. Putting a starting pitcher in that spot is Hartleb's way of pushing off who will really get that at-bat. It's all situation dependent.
Michael Michalak filled the designated hitter role in the bottom of the second inning.