CHAMPAIGN – The damage could have been worse. After losing a second straight game to Ohio State on Sunday, the No. 25 lllinois baseball team still found itself where it started the day:

One-half game behind first-place Minnesota in a crowded race for the Big Ten title.

"If you would have told me at the beginning of the year that we'd be a half-game out with three games to go, I'd take it any day," Illini coach Dan Hartleb said.

The blow of a 12-7 loss to the No. 27 Buckeyes at Illinois Field was cushioned when Minnesota also stumbled 10-4 at Michigan. Although the Illini didn't lose any ground to the Gophers, they now share second place with Ohio State after dropping two of three games to the Buckeyes.

But minutes after Sunday's final pitch, that already was ancient history to Hartleb.

"Yes, it's a disappointing weekend because we could have put ourselves in a little bit better shape," he said. "But what's happened in the past has happened. We need to move forward and figure out a way to get ourselves back in first next weekend."

Illinois concludes the Big Ten race at Purdue in a series that begins Thursday. For seniors like Joe Bonadonna, it's a final shot at a conference title that the Illini last won in 2005.

"We win that Big Ten, that gives us a ring and that gets us the No. 1 seed in the (conference) tournament," the UI center fielder said. "That's the best scenario right now."

A scenario Bonadonna knows isn't completely in Illinois' hands.

"We can't control what Minnesota does," he said. "We can only control ourselves. So our mindset is focus on Purdue, not watching other scores around the Big Ten. It's just going out and getting our job done."

The sixth-place Boilermakers have plenty at stake, too. They'll be trying to clinch the sixth and final berth in the Big Ten tournament field, a spot Michigan and Penn State also still have within their reach.

Even if Purdue wasn't battling to make the tournament cut, Bonadonna still would expect a battle from the Boilermakers this weekend. This is a rivalry that has grown increasingly intense and, at times, become testy.

"They've always played us tough," Bonadonna said. "We don't like Purdue and they don't like us. Last year, we actually had not a scuffle, but the benches kinda were jawing back and forth. It always makes for a great series."

AT THE PLATE
Illini center fielder Joe Bonadonna capped a big weekend at the plate by going 2 for 3 with a career-high-tying four RBI. The senior doubled and hit the second home run of his career, a two-run shot in the eighth. In three games against Ohio State, Bonadonna was 6 for 10 with seven RBI. The lead-off batter also drew five walks and reached base 11 times in 15 plate appearances.

ON THE MOUND
Buckeyes closer Jake Hale earned his second save in as many games — and Big Ten-leading 13th of the season — despite giving up two runs in 2 1/3 innings. The senior right-hander, who was tagged with the loss in the series opener on Friday, appeared in all three games against Illinois. For the weekend, Hale allowed four hits and five runs — two earned — in four innings.

IN THE FIELD
Illini senior Dominic Altobelli, who entered the season with 19 career errors, committed his 19th of the season in the fifth inning. The third baseman was charged after failing to catch a throw from the outfield on Cory Kovanda’s single, allowing the Buckeye hitter to reach second base. Kovanda later scored an unearned run.

IN THE STANDS
A crowd of 1,450 increased attendance for the three games against Ohio State to 8,202, further shattering the previous Illinois Field record, The old mark for series attendance at the 22-year-old facility was 5,820, which had stood since April 21-22, 1990, for a visit by Michigan.

HOMER HAVEN
The teams combined for 11 home runs in the three games, with the Buckeyes belting six. Altobelli and Justin Miller of Ohio State each hit their second homer of the series on Sunday. Altobelli has eight home runs for the season, third highest on the team. Each of the Buckeyes’ first five home runs were two-run shots.

FINAL CALL
With one weekend left in the Big Ten baseball race, the top four teams are separated one game:
TEAM    RECORD    NEXT
Minnesota    15-5    at Penn State
Illinois    15-6    at Purdue
Ohio State    15-6    vs. Iowa
Indiana    14-6    vs. Michigan State