Illinois (1-3) at Minnesota (1-3)
When	March 12-14 (4 games)
Where	Minneapolis, Minn. (U.S. Bank Stadium)
Television	None
Live Video	Friday | Saturday - Game 1 | Saturday - Game 2 | Sunday
Radio	Fighting Illini Sports Network | WDWS AM-1400
Live Stats	Fri. | Sat. | Sun.
Notes	Illinois
Shop	Online Store | Auctions
Social Media	@IlliniBaseball | @IlliniBaseball | Facebook | YouTube

PREVIEW

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Illinois baseball team hits the road for a second straight week. The Illini are headed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, to play a four-game series from Friday-Sunday against Minnesota (1-3) at U.S. Bank Stadium. Saturday will be a doubleheader, with the first contest scheduled to be a 7-inning game.

Illinois (1-3) dropped its first three games of the season before defeating Ohio State in the Sunday matchup. The Illini produced a shutout in Sunday's game with a score of 8-0. It was their first shutout in a conference game since May 3, 2019 vs. Indiana and the first in a conference game away from Illinois Field since May 22, 2015 vs. Michigan State.

The Illini's pitching in the opening weekend was highlighted by LHP Cole Kirschsieper (W, 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 6 SO) and RHP Andrew Hoffmann (ND, 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 8 SO). Hoffmann will start on Friday night, while Cole Kirschsieper will get the call on Sunday. RHP Riley Gowens and Ty Rybarczyk will start games one and two on Saturday, respectively.

All four games will be broadcast on BTN+, along with the Fighting Illini Sports Network.

No public admission will be allowed at the games this weekend.  

SERIES HISTORY

vs. Minnesota
• 104-111-1 (Home: 46-46-1; Away: 56-55; Neutral: 2-10)
• Last: L, 5-4 (4/15/19 at Minnesota)
• Illini won two of three in 2017 and 2019
• Teams only met in Big Ten Tournament in 2018
• Illini have won five straight series at Minn. (2006, 2008, 2013, 2017, 2019)

NOTES

• Illinois will play four games against Minnesota at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn. this weekend. In their only trip to U.S. Bank Stadium in 2018, the Illini went 3-0 against No. 11 UCLA, Arizona, and Washington.
• Illinois returned to play last Friday against Ohio State for the first time in 362 days (8-7 win on March 8, 2020 at Elon).
    » The Big Ten suspended all sports beginning March 12, 2020 due to COVID-19. The fast-spreading virus was deemed a pandemic by the World Health Organization, prompting most collegiate and professional leagues in the United States to suspend all activities. The suspension of Big Ten sports ended Illinois' baseball season after only 13 games.
• Despite a 1-3 record in the opening weekend, the Illini's offensive ranks in the Big Ten through four games...
     » 1st stolen bases (7)
     » T-3rd hits (39)
     » 3rd walks (21)
     » 4th batting average (.271)
     » 4th OBP (.393)
     » 5th runs (22)
• On Sunday, the Illini pitched a three-hit shutout. It was their first shutout in a conference game since May 3, 2019 vs. Indiana (4-0) and the first in a conference game away from Illinois Field since May 22, 2015 vs. Michigan State (2-0) in the Big Ten Tournament in Minneapolis.
     » The three hits allowed were the least in a conference game since May 4, 2019 vs. Indiana (3) and the least in a conference game away from Illinois Field since May 7, 2016 at Maryland (3).
• Six of the Illini's eight wins in 2020 came when allowing two or fewer runs. The lone win in 2021 came in a shutout.
• Illinois is 7-for-7 on stolen bases through one weekend. The Illini went 15-for-21 (71.4%) in 2020.
• Illinois has 24 returning players and 11 newcomers. 86% of last season's hits and 83% of runs are back in the lineup.
     » Three of the four transfers on the team this season are coming from John A. Logan CC (RHP Andrew Hoffmann, C Ryan Hampe, INF Zak Hartleb). INF Jackson Raper transferred from Catawba College.
• CF Taylor Jackson is tied for the conference lead in hits (8) and leads the team in batting average (.444).
     » Reached base safely in 16 of 17 games and recorded a hit in 15 of 17 games since joining the Illini last season.
• LHP Cole Kirschsieper is undefeated in his Illinois career. He won his first outing of the year, throwing five shutout innings.
     » Tied for fifth in the nation in victories among freshman (3-0) last season when play was suspended.
     » Tied for first in wins, second-fewest in runs allowed (3) and fifth-best ERA (1.35) in the conference last season.
• SS Branden Comia currently has a career-long 22-game on-base streak dating back to May 18, 2019 at Michigan State.
• SS Branden Comia was the only underclassmen shortstop in the nation who hit .400+ with an OPS of 1.200+ in 2020.
• SS Branden Comia Big Ten ranks in 2020...
     » 3rd OBP (.526)
     » 5th slugging (.702)
     » 5th batting average (.426)
• Dan Hartleb won his 450th game as a head coach on Feb. 28, 2020 against #13 Texas A&M to become the third coach in Illinois history to reach the milestone. Hartleb could pass Illini legend Itch Jones for second place on the all-time wins list this year.
• Head coach Dan Hartleb has made as many NCAA tournaments in his first 15 seasons as head coach (4) as the previous 42 Illini seasons combined.
• Illinois is picked to finish fifth in the conference by Baseball America, sixth by D1Baseball and sixth in the Big Ten preseason coaches poll.
• 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 2021 MLB Draft prospects: No. 11 SS Branden Comia, No. 17 RHP Aidan Maldonado, No. 27 C Ryan Hampe
• D1Baseball Big Ten Impact Freshmen: No. 17 LHP Payton Hutchings and No. 21 RHP Jack Crowder
• Baseball America Big Ten top 2021 MLB Draft prospects: No. 10 RHP Aidan Maldonado, No. 13 C Jacob Campbell, No. 17 SS Branden Comia, No. 20 RHP Andrew Hoffmann
• Perfect Game Preseason All-Big Ten team: SS Branden Comia and C Ryan Hampe
• Perfect Game Big Ten top 2021 MLB Draft prospects: No. 19 C Jacob Campbell, No. 22 RHP Andrew Hoffmann, No. 24 RHP Aidan Maldonado, No. 25 C Ryan Hampe, No. 29 SS Branden Comia, No. 32 INF Jackson Raper
• SS Branden Comia preseason awards: Perfect Game Preseason All-Big Ten team, No. 4 shortstop in the nation by D1Baseball, No. 11 MLB Draft prospect in the Big Ten by D1Baseball, No. 17 MLB Draft prospect in the Big Ten by Baseball America, "Best Defensive Infielder" in the Big Ten by Baseball America, Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award watch list

UP NEXT

Illinois will go to Ann Arbor, Michigan to compete in their first pod of the season. The Illini will play two games against Michigan and two games against Michigan State.