Illinois Baseball is the Outright Big Ten Champion

Illinois Baseball is the Outright Big Ten Champion

Illinois Baseball is the outright 2024 Big Ten Champions. After their win last night over the Purdue Boilermakers, Illinois baseball got some help. The Michigan State Spartans won their game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers which clinched the Illini’s first regular season title since 2015. As of right now, the Illini are finishing off their season against Purdue, however, they are a robust 32-17 on the year. Last night, the Illini clinched their title by storming back from an early 2-1 deficit to curb-stomp the Boilermakers 9-4.

Ryan Moerman started off the run with a two-run homer. Afterward, Camden Janik hit a massive grand slam to put the Illini up 8-2.

Alone at the top.

The #Illini are officially outright Big Ten champs!#HTTO pic.twitter.com/9SSTs6jW4Q

— Illinois Baseball (@IlliniBaseball) May 18, 2024

What’s next?

Illinois Baseball will head to Omaha as the number-one seed in the Big Ten Tournament. Per Robert Rosenthal of IlliniBoard, the Illini are hovering around the border of achieving an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. They still have some work to do for their resume, however, if they can win the Big Ten Tournament, they will clinch an auto bid. Dan Hartleb last made an NCAA tournament in 2019. If his crew can continue the momentum, that drought should come to an end.

Illini baseball up to 47 in the latest RPI. As Ben noted in a baseball post a few weeks ago, Boyd’s World uses #45 as the target line for an at-large bid. So the Illini are right there.

Sweeping Purdue today would help. Better yet, win the Big Ten Tournament & get the auto-bid. pic.twitter.com/AU7q1YeZPa

— Robert Rosenthal (@ALionEye) May 18, 2024

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