CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Indiana State baseball team dropped its second game in as many days to Illinois, falling to the Illini 2-1 on a walk-off home run in the ninth inning at Illinois Field in Champaign.
 
Dane Giesler tied the game in the top of the ninth with a no-doubt home run to right field; his fifth home run of the season. The homer also signified the first base hit for the Sycamores (12-11) since the fourth inning as Illinois starting pitcher Ty Weber held the ISU offense in check, retiring 13-straight up until Giesler's home run.
 
A fast pace of play was the name of the game as both Weber and Sycamore starter Tyler Ward battled back-and-forth in what was the shortest ballgame of the season for the Sycamores at 1:52.
 
The Illini (8-16) got on the board in the third inning after stringing together a one-out double from Trent Hammond and an RBI single from Jack Yalowitz, Ward settled in and retired 14-straight Illini batters up until the eighth inning when a softly-hit ball to third base allowed UI to reach base.
 
Ward finished the day with 7.2 innings and four strikeouts in the no decision. Damon Olds (0-1) was charged with the lass after giving up the home run to Massey McInerney in the ninth.
 
The Sycamores were outhit in the game 7-4.
 
Weber moved to 2-2 on the season for the Illini after going nine innings and allowing one run on four hits while striking out seven.
 
The Sycamores will look to salvage a game in the series Sunday when they close out the series with the Illini. The game is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET from Illinois Field and will air live on Big Ten Network Plus.
 
For the latest information on the Sycamore Baseball team, be sure to visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.