| Probable Starting Pitchers |
| Day |
Illinois |
Butler |
| Tue. 4 p.m. CT |
RHP Jack Crowder (0-0, 0.00) |
LHP Brandon Haggerty (0-0, 60.75) |
PREVIEW
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Illinois baseball team is set to host Butler at Illinois Field on Tuesday at 4 p.m. CT. Illinois is coming off their first weekend series win at Western Kentucky, taking the first two games of the weekend and dropping the third. The Illini offense scored a combined 21 runs on 27 hits in the first two games of the series at Western Kentucky.
Sophomore RHP Jack Crowder is scheduled to get the start against Butler on Tuesday, which will be his first appearance on the mound this season. Illinois is 7-1 all-time against Butler and has never lost a game at Illinois Field to the Bulldogs. In the last matchup, the Illini won 19-0 in 2010.
Scott Beatty has the radio call on the Fighting Illini Sports Network. Illinois will provide a video stream via B1G+.
SERIES HISTORY
vs. Butler
• Record: 7-1 (H: 7-0; A: 0-0; N: 0-1)
• Last: W, 19-0 (5/5/2010 in Champaign)
• Illini are undefeated at home
• Illinois won the first meeting on 4/11/1923
NOTES
• Illinois hosts Butler at Illinois Field for the first time since 2010. The last time the two teams met up was in Champaign, and Illinois won 19-0.
• RHP Jack Crowder will make his first appearance of the season on Tuesday, getting the start against Butler.
• Junior INF/OF Cam McDonald has hit safely in 11 consecutive games and has reached base in every game this season (13 game on-base streak).
• The Illinois offense combined for 21 runs on 27 hits in the first two games of the series at Western Kentucky.
• Illinois scored a season-high 12 runs at Western Kentucky on 3/11.
• Cam McDonald leads the Illini in home runs (3), RBI (13), OPS (1.043), SLG% (.625), and total bases (30). He is second on the team in batting average (.333).
• Junior RHP Ty Rybarczyk will earn his first start of the season against Eastern Illinois on Tuesday.
• Junior catcher Jacob Campbell began the season on a nine-game hit streak (eleven-game hit streak dating back to 5/29/2021).
• The Illini have recorded 12 hits in three games so far this season (Kansas 2/20, MTSU 2/25, MTSU 2/26).
• Sophomore LHP Payton Hutchings earned his first career start and first career win on February 20 against Kansas.
• Freshman OF Ryan Moerman started his first game against Kansas on February 20.
» He picked up his first collegiate hit in the fourth inning, a double to left-center field.
• D1Baseball Big Ten top 2022 MLB Draft prospects: No. 5 LHP Cole Kirschsieper, No. 17 RHP Riley Gowens, No. 20 SS Branden Comia, No. 27 1B Justin Janas.
• Baseball America Big Ten top 2022 MLB Draft prospects: No. 4 LHP Cole Kirschsieper.
• Perfect Game Preseason All-Big Ten team: 1B Justin Janas and C/OF Jacob Campbell.
• Perfect Game Big Ten top 2022 MLB Draft prospects: No. 4 LHP Cole Kirschsieper, No. 22 C Jacob Campbell, No. 24 INF Branden Comia.
• Illinois has 24 returners and 13 newcomers on the 2022 roster.
» Four newcomers are transfers: OF Tyler Thompson (Carson-Newman), RHP Johnny Czeslawski (North Iowa Area C.C.), RHP Tommy Green (Mercer), and RHP Jack Wenninger (Murray State)
• Illinois' new $8-million, 26,000-square foot Susan and Clint Atkins Baseball Training Center is set to open in 2022.
UP NEXT
Illinois travels to Southern Illinois for a three-game series against the Salukis.
