| Probable Starting Pitchers |
| Day |
Illinois |
Illinois State |
| Tue. 6 p.m. CT |
RHP Calvin Shepherd |
RHP Colin Wyman |
PREVIEW
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Illinois baseball team hosts Illinois State for a Tuesday evening midweek game against the Redbirds. Illinois (15-14, 7-2) is coming off a series win over Iowa this weekend which moved the Illini to second place in the Big Ten at 7-2.
The Illini have won nine of the last 11 games against Illinois State since 2015 and 12 of the last 15 since 2012. Last week, Illinois fell to the Redbirds in Normal, 10-1. Freshman RHP Calvin Shepherd will start against the Redbirds again for the Illini, and Illinois State will start RHP Colin Wyman.
Scott Beatty has the radio call on the Fighting Illini Sports Network. The game will be streamed on B1G+.
SERIES HISTORY
vs. Illinois State
• Record: 56-34 (H: 32-17, A: 24-17, N: 0-0)
• Last: L, 10-1 (4/5/22 at Illinois St.)
• Illinois has won 9 of last 11 since 2015
• Illinois has won 12 of last 15 since 2012
• Illini have won 8 straight at home since 2011
NOTES
• Illinois hosts Illinois State for the second game between the two teams this season. Illinois State won the first game in Normal on April 5.
• Illinois has won eight straight games at home against Illinois State and own the all-time series, 56-34.
• Cam McDonald has reached base safely in every game this season (29 game on-base streak).
•Branden Comia has hit safely in 13 consecutive games.
• Illinois is averaging 6.66 runs per game in 29 games this season.
» Illinois has scored 10+ runs eight times, going 7-1 in those games.
• Illinois has recorded 10+ hits in 17 of 29 (59%) games this season.
• Illinois has scored six or more runs in every win this season.
• Illinois ranks fourth in the Big Ten conference in team batting average (.278) and hits (288).
• Branden Comia leads the team in extra base hits (16).
• Cam McDonald leads the Illini in batting average (.327) and RBI (30).
• Branden Comia and Danny Doligale are tied for the team lead in hits (39) and runs (27).
• Danny Doligale leads the Illini in doubles (11).
• Cam McDonald ranks seventh in the Big Ten in RBI (29) and tenth in batting average (.356).
• Cole Kirschsieper leads the team in ERA (2.85), IP (47.1), strikeouts (50), and wins (4).
• Illinois is second in the B1G at 7-2, just one game behind Rutgers (8-1).
• Illinois has won all three Big Ten series this season (at MSU, vs Purdue, at Iowa).
• Illinois swept Purdue in a three-game series at Illinois Field (4/1-4/3).
» The Illini have won the last six games against Purdue dating back to 2021.
• Illinois won the first Big Ten series of the season at Michigan State, taking two of three games from the Spartans (3/25-3/27).
• Illinois has scored 13 runs twice this season (vs. Butler on 3/15, vs. Wheaton on 3/23).
• Illinois won their first series of the season at Western Kentucky (3/11-3/13), taking two of three games against the Hilltoppers.
• Junior catcher Jacob Campbell began the season on a nine-game hit streak (eleven-game hit streak dating back to 5/29/2021).
• Sophomore LHP Payton Hutchings earned his first career start and first career win on February 20 against Kansas.
• 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 hosts Northwestern for a three game series at Illinois Field this weekend.
