| Probable Starting Pitchers |
| Day |
Illinois |
Opponent |
| Tue. 4 p.m. CT |
LHP Burnette (0-2, 6.75) |
RHP Kaplan (0-0, 0.00) |
PREVIEW
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Illinois baseball team is set to host Chicago State at Illinois Field for the Illini's home opener Tuesday at 4 p.m. CT. Illinois is coming off a second place finish at the Frisco Classic, including ranked wins over No. 13 Texas A&M and No. 23 Oklahoma State.
Illinois (5-4) has won four of its last five games behind excellent pitching. All five Illini wins have come when allowing two or fewer runs and all five have been saved, including four saves from Preseason All-American Garrett Acton.Â
Lefty Jimmy Burnette is scheduled to get the start against Chicago State in the Illini's first matchup against the Cougars since 2015. Illinois is 11-1 all-time against Chicago State and has won the last 10 meetings dating back to 1985.
Scott Beatty and Jeff Huth have the radio call on the Fighting Illini Sports Network. Illinois will provide a video stream via BTN+.
SERIES HISTORY
vs. Chicago State
• Record: 11-1 (H: 11-1; A: 0-0; N: 0-0)
• Last: W, 7-3 (3/10/15 at Illinois Field)
• Illini have won the last 10 matchups since 1985
• Bubba Smith hit longest measured homer in Illinois history vs. Chicago State 4/25/1991 (455 ft.)
DOG DAY TUESDAYS
Illinois Field will be dog friendly on Tuesdays during the 2020 season. All dogs and humans will get in free.
NOTES
• March 3 is the earliest home opener in Illinois' 141-year program history.
• Illinois has won six straight home openers (2014-19).
• Illinois and Chicago State match up for the first time since 2015.Â
   » The Illini have won 10 straight against Chicago State dating back to 1985.
• Illinois snapped a four-game winning streak Sunday against #1 UCLA.
• Illinois finished in second place at the Frisco Classic with wins against #13 Texas A&M and #23 Oklahoma State.
• All five Illini wins in 2020 have come when allowing two or fewer runs and all have been saved (Acton 4, Maldonado 1).
   » Acton had two saves at the Frisco Classic and is one away from tying Tyler Jay's Illinois career record (24).
• SS Branden Comia and C Jacob Campbell were named to the Frisco Classic All-Tournament Team.Â
   » Comia had the game-winning hit Friday in a 1-0 win over #13 Texas A&M and a triple and homer against #23 Oklahoma State. He also doubled against #1 UCLA.
   » Campbell had two hits against #23 Oklahoma State and added a big caught stealing behind the plate.
• SS Branden Comia is on a six-game hitting streak and a career-long 14-game reached base streak.Â
• CF Taylor Jackson snapped an eight-game hitting streak Sunday against #1 UCLA.
   » Jackson has reached at a 45.5% clip (10-22) when leading off an inning.
• DH Alex Steinbach snapped a five-game hitting streak Sunday against #1 UCLA.
• Four of Illinois' first nine games were against top 25 teams. The Illini went 2-2 in those four games vs. ranked opponents.
• Dan Hartleb won his 450th game as a head coach on Friday against #13 Texas A&M to become the third coach in Illinois history to reach the milestone. He trails Itch Jones by 23 wins for second place on Illinois' all-time wins list.Â
• Illinois was picked to finish fourth in the Big Ten by Perfect Game, fifth by D1Baseball, and eighth by Baseball America.
• Illinois is opening the new decade following its best decade in program history.Â
   » Two Big Ten titles (2011, 2015) in the decade.
   » Four NCAA Regionals (2011, 2013, 2015, 2019), tied for the second-most in the Big Ten in the 2010s (IND 6, NEB 4).
   » Program record 50 wins in 2015 and the team's first ever Super Regional.
   » Head coach Dan Hartleb was named D1Baseball's Big Ten Coach of the Decade.
• Head coach Dan Hartleb has made as many NCAA tournaments in his first 14 seasons as head coach (4) as the previous 42 Illini seasons combined.Â
• Illinois' new $8-million, 26,000-square foot Susan and Clint Atkins Baseball Training Center is set to open in 2022.
• D1Baseball Big Ten top 2020 MLB Draft prospects: No. 20 LHP Jimmy Burnette, No. 24 C/1B Kellen Sarver, No. 37 RHP Garrett Acton
• D1Baseball Big Ten top 2021 MLB Draft prospects: No. 4 RHP Aidan Maldonado, No. 14 IF/OF Cam McDonald, No. 19 LHP Nathan Lavender, No. 20 SS Branden Comia, No. 26 Ty Rybarczyk
• D1Baseball Big Ten Impact Freshmen: No. 19 INF Brody Harding, No. 37 LHP Cole Kirschsieper, No. 42 RHP Grant Leader, No. 44 OF Danny Doligale, No. 46 INF Xavier Watson
• RHP Garrett Acton preseason awards: NCBWA Preseason All-America first team, Perfect Game Preseason All-America second team, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Preseason All-America second team, Perfect Game Preseason All-Big Ten, No. 26 MLB Draft prospect in the Big Ten by Perfect Game, No. 37 MLB Draft prospect in the Big Ten by D1Baseball
• Illinois regularly started four freshmen last season, who now make up the sophomore class: SS Branden Comia, 1B/C Kellen Sarver, C Jacob Campbell, IF/OF Cam McDonald. The class was ranked No. 22 in the nation by D1Baseball.com and No. 24 by Baseball America as recruits, Illinois' first-ever top-25 recruiting class. Campbell (No. 25) and RHP Aidan Maldonado (No. 49) were both among the top 50 freshman in the nation according to Baseball America in 2019.
• Illinois has 18 newcomers in 2020.Â
UP NEXT
Illinois travels to Elon for a three-game series Friday-Sunday.Â
