March 12, 2015
| #19 Illinois (12-3-1) vs. Southern Illinois (2-13) |
| Game 17 | Friday, March 13, 2015 | 4 p.m. CT |
| Game 18 | Saturday, March 14, 2015 | 1 p.m. CT |
| Game 19 | Sunday, March 15, 2015 | 1 p.m. CT |
| Location | Champaign, Ill. | Illinois Field |
| Mobile Live Stats | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| Gametracker | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| Live Video ($) | Friday Stream | Saturday Stream | Sunday Stream |
| Radio | WDWS AM 1400 (Dave Loane & Jeff Huth) |
| Live Audio ($) | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| Game Notes | Illinois | SIU |
| Friday's Starters | ILL: Jr. LHP Kevin Duchene (2-0, 0.64 ERA)
SIU: r-Sr. LHP Aaron Hauge (1-2, 3.70 ERA) |
| Saturday's Starters | ILL: r-Sr. RHP Drasen Johnson (1-1, 1.67 ERA)
SIU: Fr. RHP Michael Baird (0-1, 10.03 ERA) |
| Sunday's Starters | ILL: Sr. RHP John Kravetz (1-0, 1.98 ERA)
SIU: So. LHP Kyle Pauly (0-2, 12.71 ERA) |
| Series History | Southern Illinois leads 33-31 |
| Last Meeting | Illinois won 10-1 (4/30/2014) |
| Streak | Won 1 |
| Preview Interviews | Coach Hartleb | Jason Goldstein |
| Social Media | @IlliniBaseball  | #Illini | @IlliniBaseball  | Facebook  | YouTube  |
Quick Hits
Illinois (12-3-1) boasts its best record after 16 games under 10th-year head coach Dan Hartleb and since 1989 (13-3) when the Illini eventually started 18-3 under Augie Garrido.
The Illini re-entered the D1 Baseball Top-25 at No. 19 this week, marking the program's highest ranking since finishing No. 16 in the 1990 Baseball America final poll.
UI also moved up to No. 22 in Collegiate Baseball's Top-30 poll and was ranked by Baseball America (No. 25) and NCBWA (No. 29).
Illinois sits in the top 10 in the nation in five pitching categories: No. 1 in WHIP (0.90), No. 3 in hits allowed per nine innings (6.25), No. 4 in walks allowed per nine innings (1.88), No. 5 in strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.33) and No. 10 in ERA (2.06).
In conference pitching categories, the Illini staff leads the Big Ten in wins (12), strikeouts (130) and innings pitched (135). The Orange and Blue boast the second-best ERA at 2.06 and opposing batting average at .195. The Illini are also tied for first in saves (6).
Offensively, Illinois leads the Big Ten in stolen bases (24) and is tied for first in home runs (10).
The Illini have outscored their opponents 82-42, with their highest scoring inning being the 9th (13 runs).
The Warren Nolan Power Index (NPI), which rates teams based on their winning percentage and strength of schedule, has the Illini ranked No. 5.
2015 Home-Opening Weekend
No. 19 Illinois will play its home-opening weekend on Friday, March 13 (4 p.m.), Saturday, March 14 (1 p.m.) and Sunday, March 15 (1 p.m.) against Southern Illinois at Illinois Field. Admission is free to all regular season home games.
Series History with SIU
Illinois and Southern Illinois have played 64 games against each other, with SIU holding a slim 33-31 edge in the all-time series. The Illini went 2-2 against the Salukis in 2014, dropping two of three in Carbondale before bouncing back with a 10-1 midweek win on April 30 in which Casey Fletcher hit three home runs. Illinois has won six of the last eight meetings.
Baseball Parking Updates
The DIA announced parking changes to begin 2015. The grass parking lots surrounding Illinois Field will be closed for the start of the 2015 season due to effects of the winter weather. Fans attending games at Illinois Field should park in either the Northeast State Farm Center quadrant or the parking lot at the Bielfeldt Athletic Administration Building (weekend only) with entrance off Fourth Street. Parking in the Ubben lot is unavailable until after 5 p.m.
Last Time Out
Illinois kicked off its nine-game homestand with a 7-3 victory against Chicago State at Illinois Field on Tuesday. The Fighting Illini are now 8-2 in home openers under 10th-year head coach Dan Hartleb. Redshirt-senior Reid Roper powered the offense notching three hits, two runs and two RBI while starter Rob McDonnell earned his first victory of the season throwing six scoreless innings.
Jay Big Ten Pitcher of the Week
Fighting Illini junior Tyler Jay was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week for the first time in his career (3/9). The Lemont, Illinois, native went 1-0 with two saves last week, totaling 7.2 scoreless innings in relief while only allowing three hits in three appearances.
Jay pitched in Illinois' three wins, beginning with three strikeouts in three shutout innings for a save at Coastal Carolina on Monday. The UI closer earned his fourth save of the season by recording the final five outs in the opening win at No. 10 Oklahoma State on Friday. He improved to 3-0 on the year by finishing off the final three frames to clinch the series victory in Stillwater.
Jay boasts a 0.00 ERA in 2015 and has held opposing hitters to a .121 average. He racked up eight strikeouts last week, giving him 23 strikeouts in 20.1 innings pitched on the year.
Duchene Shines in First Two Starts
Junior Kevin Duchene dazzled in his debut at the Chanticleer Classic with nine strikeouts over seven scoreless innings in a 1-0 victory over Ball State, marking the first Illini shutout in 2015. In his second start, Duchene struck out six over seven innings while surrendering three hits and one earned run in a 6-2 win over No. 10 Oklahoma State. The Joliet, Illinois, native owns a 2-0 record with a 0.64 ERA.
Johnson Needs Support
Redshirt-senior Drasen Johnson has allowed five runs total in his four starts (27.0 IP) and has two no decisions due to a lack of run support. The Chillicothe, Illinois, native threw 6.2 scoreless innings in his season debut, but the offense did not score a run during his outing. In his second start, the offense exploded for 10 runs over the seven innings he was on the mound, as Johnson earned his first win of the season. In his third start, he pitched seven shutout innings, but the Illini lost a 1-0 lead late in the game. In his fourth start, Johnson went 6.2 innings giving up three runs off of six hits. The Illini failed to score a run during his outing. Last season, he received the lowest run support on the Illini with only 2.4 runs per game.
Kravetz Reaches 20 Career Wins
Senior John Kravetz (20-7) is the 13th pitcher in school history to win 20 or more career games. He is in a six-way tie for eighth place on the Illinois all-time list. Mark Dressen (1989-92) and current pitching coach Drew Dickinson (1999-02) hold the school record with 30 career wins. Among active players in NCAA Division I Baseball, Kravetz ranks eighth in games started (46), ninth in innings pitched (283 2/3) and 13th in victories (20).
Reid Roper Can Hit and Pitch
Redshirt-senior Reid Roper is hitting a team-best .393 while also tallying a save and two scoreless innings in two appearances as the team's closer. He leads the Illini with 15 RBI and a .541 slugging percentage. His 24 hits on the year lead the Big Ten, while his 33 total bases are second in the conference.
Who's Gone Yard?
Illinois is tied for first in the Big Ten with 10 home runs through 16 games and has only allowed three homers. Sophomore Pat McInerney and junior Jason Goldstein went deep in the ninth inning at Lamar (2/15), while senior David Kerian crushed a bomb at Swanson Stadium against Florida Gulf Coast (2/22).
Sophomore Matthew James belted two home runs during the Chanticleer Classic, his first career home run against Ball State (2/28) and a pinch-hit home run against Coastal Carolina (3/2). Redshirt-senior Reid Roper and senior Casey Fletcher also went deep that weekend, each blasting a solo bomb against Kent State (3/1).
Illinois homered in each game at No. 10 Oklahoma State. Redshirt-sophomore Adam Walton hammered his first home run of the season on Friday (3/6) with a two-run shot, junior Jason Goldstein also went deep with a solo bomb on Saturday (3/7), and senior David Kerian hit an opposite field game-winning two-run home run in the 10th inning on Sunday (3/8).
When Do the Runs Come?
The Illini are outscoring their opponents 82-42 on the season and have cumulatively scored a run in every inning 1-10. UI boasts 13 runs in the ninth inning, which ranks as its highest scoring stanza this year. Defensively, the Orange and Blue have yet to allow a run in the fourth inning.
Top Hitters on the Team
Five players in Illinois' starting lineup are hitting above .300 through 16 games. Reid Roper (.393) is leading the way with 24 hits in 61 at-bats followed by Pat McInerney (.371), Matthew James (.345), Adam Walton (.319) and Casey Fletcher (.315).
Streaking Illini
Two Illini - Casey Fletcher and Jason Goldstein - are currently on a five-game hitting streak. Reid Roper owns the longest streak this season at eight games (Feb. 14 to March 1).
Staff ERA under Dickinson
Fourth-year pitching coach Drew Dickinson has improved Illinois' staff ERA each year thus far. The Illini finished with a 4.77 ERA in 2012 followed by a 3.76 ERA in 2013 and a school-record 3.25 ERA in 2014. This season, UI hurlers currently sport a 2.06 ERA.
