CHAMPAIGN — Jack Yalowitz was looking for a specific pitch when he stepped to the plate in the bottom of the fourth inning of Friday's game against Illinois State.
How Yalowitz's first at-bat against the Redbirds' Brett Headrick finished — a swinging strikeout — played into the Illinois right fielder's thinking. So did the situation with Kellen Sarver and Cam McDonald on base after a single and a walk, respectively, with no outs.
Yalowitz knew Headrick might go back to his slider. That's the big ISU lefty's out pitch and the one he likes to throw with runners in scoring position.