Posted: 4/8/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Jeremy Berg Illinois' Dominic Altobelli fields a ground ball against St. Louis on April 2. Altobelli and the Illini took three of four games at Indiana in a series that wrapped up Monday.

Opposing teams are learning firsthand about Illinois' never-quit mentality.

Trailing early in two of the four games at Indiana, the Illini put their never-quit attitude to the test, using two big innings at the plate to come from behind to beat the Hoosiers in both the series opener and finale.

Illinois (17-8, 6-2 Big Ten) scored four runs in the top of the ninth to overcome a three-run deficit against Indiana (14-12, 3-5) and earn a 8-7 win on Saturday. The team then plastered a nine-spot on the scoreboard in the fourth inning of Monday's series finale to overcome a one-run deficit to beat the Hoosiers 18-8 and clinch the series win.

"We don't let the score affect us," head coach Dan Hartleb said. "Our guys are confident every time we go to the plate and take the field that we're going to win. When you have good teams they always believe they are going to win, and those are the teams that make comebacks."

Hartleb dates the team's resiliency back to its final Big Ten series last season against Michigan State, when Illinois came back to overtake the Spartans in the final game of the season to qualify for the conference tournament. "The majority of the guys were on this team last year and were part of that comeback against Michigan State, and those guys have taught the young guys what it takes to play an entire game and not give up," Hartleb said.

It was the Illini offense that made this weekend's comebacks possible, but the team's bats can't take all the credit; the Hoosiers' defensive miscues played a role, too.

Trailing 7-4 and facing Indiana reliever Anthony Agnew, who had worked five scoreless innings, the Illini loaded the bases with no outs and then received a big gift from Hoosiers' first baseman Jerrud Sabourin.

Illinois shortstop Brandon Wikoff hit a ground ball that got through the legs of Sabourin, allowing two runs to score. Third baseman Dominic Altobelli followed with a double to the left field wall, tying the game at seven.

Designated hitter Daniel Webb, who homered earlier in the game, brought home Wikoff with a sacrifice fly to left to give Illinois an 8-7 lead.

Continued...

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