Coming off of a series win against Penn State and a Tuesday victory over Roosevelt, Northwestern baseball was on the upswing after a dismal start to the season. However, one of the Wildcats’ first real tests was imminent: a three-game set with the Illini at Illinois Field.
Entering Champaign, the Wildcats posted a 4-2 record in Big Ten play against PSU and Indiana; however, NU departed UIUC at 4-5 in the blink of an eye.
Game one of the series was riveting. The ‘Cats got on the board first courtesy of a solo shot by sophomore Vince Bianchina, his first homer of the season, in the second inning.