| Probable Starting Pitchers |
| Day |
Illinois |
SLU |
| Tue. 3 p.m. CT |
RHP Maldonado (0-0, 5.06) |
RHP Wark (1-2, 1.72) |
| Wed. 3 p.m. CT |
LHP Lavender (0-0, 16.87) |
RHP Matheny (0-1, 3.68) |
PREVIEW
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The Illinois baseball team takes its six-game winning streak to Saint Louis for a two-game series Tuesday-Wednesday. Both games are set for 3 p.m. CT starts.
Illinois (13-3) is scheduled to pitch freshmen Aidan Maldonado and Nathan Lavender for each of their first career starts. Maldonado, a right-hander, has made five appearances out of the bullpen and Lavender, a lefty, has appeared in three games.Â
Saint Louis (9-9) and Illinois face each other for the first time since the Illini swept three games at Illinois Field in 2016. Illinois has won five straight against SLU, 13 of the last 14 since 1982 and is 27-3-1 all-time against the Billikens.Â
SLU is coming off a three-game series sweep of Chicago State. The Billikens are scheduled to start a pair of right-handers in Jackson Wark and Luke Matheny, son of former Cardinals' manager Mike Matheny.Â
Both games will be aired on the Fighting Illini Sports Network and WDWS 1400-AM in Champaign.
NOTES
• Illinois has swept four of its first five weekend series for the first time since beginning to regularly play February games in 1982.Â
• Illinois' 13-3 start is its best through 16 games since 1989. It is the t-10th-best 16-game start in program history.
   15-1 » 1959, 1915, 1903
   14-2 » 1988, 1962, 1904
   13-2-1 » 1986, 1922, 1912
   13-3 » 2019, 1989, 1985, 1947, 1937, 1934, 1933, 1931, 1906
• Illinois is 12-0 when allowing six or fewer runs.
• Illinois is 9-0 when leading after seven innings.
• Illinois is on a six-game winning streak, tied for its longest this season.
• Illinois hitters are reaching 45.8 percent of the time when leading off an inning (65/142).
• Illinois is currently ranked No. 23 by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
• Illinois started the week ranked No. 8 in the NCAA RPI with the No. 41 strength of schedule.
• Illinois has a fielding percentage of .977. slightly behind of last year record-setting pace.
• Illinois set the single season program record for fielding percentage of .979 last season.
UP NEXT
Illinois hosts Illinois State for a three-game series at Illinois Field starting Friday. Saturday's game will feature free fleece blankets for the first 150 fans.
