CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (Interstat) — In a wild, back-and-forth nonconference matchup Wednesday evening at Illinois Field, the Illinois Fighting Illini rallied from an early six-run deficit to outslug the Lindenwood Lions 13-9.

The game, which featured 27 combined hits and five home runs, saw Illinois improve to 4-4 on the season, while Lindenwood fell to an even 4-4.

The contest’s most critical sequence unfolded in the middle innings, completely reversing its trajectory. Lindenwood had seized control with a six-run outburst in the top of the fourth, highlighted by a three-run homer from shortstop Charlie Isom-McCall and a two-run single from right fielder Filip Sarota, to build a commanding 9-1 lead.

Illinois responded immediately and forcefully in the bottom half of the inning, beginning its comeback against the Lindenwood bullpen. After a leadoff walk, center fielder Collin Jennings launched a two-run homer to cut the deficit to 9-3. The Fighting Illini were far from done, adding three more runs on a sacrifice fly from Michael Farina and an RBI single from AJ Putty to make it a 9-6 game.

The momentum fully shifted in the fifth. Lindenwood scratched across a run in the top of the inning on an RBI single from Isom-McCall to extend its lead to 9-6, but Illinois answered with a devastating five-run bottom half. The inning was capped by a three-run blast from catcher Will Johannes, which tied the game at 9-9. Illinois then took its first lead of the afternoon, 10-9, on a wild pitch before Putty laced an RBI triple to complete the five-run frame and put the Fighting Illini ahead 11-9.

Illinois added two insurance runs in the seventh on an RBI double from Farina and another wild pitch. Lindenwood mounted a final threat in the ninth, scoring two unearned runs on an error and a wild pitch to pull within 13-9, but could get no closer.

Jennings, named the top star for Illinois, went 2-for-4 with the pivotal two-run homer, a double, two RBIs and two runs scored. Johannes drove in three runs on his homer, while Putty finished with three RBIs and Farina added two. For Lindenwood, Isom-McCall was the standout, going 2-for-5 with the three-run homer and four RBIs overall. Sarota collected three hits and two RBIs.

Pitching proved decisive late. The Illinois bullpen combination of Sam Mommer, Richie LaCien and Michael Walsh combined for five scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one hit and striking out four to stifle the Lions’ offense after the fifth inning and secure the win. Lindenwood relievers, by contrast, struggled to contain the Illinois lineup after starter Ethan Milius pitched three hitless innings to open the game.

The result defied the pregame projection from Interstat, which had forecast a lower-scoring 6-5 Illinois victory and gave the Fighting Illini a 79.70 percent probability to win.

Both teams continue their schedules this weekend. Lindenwood returns home to host Northern Illinois for a four-game series starting Friday. Illinois travels to Greenville, South Carolina, for a weekend tournament where it will face Michigan State on Friday.