| Probable Starting Pitchers |
| Day |
Illinois |
Bradley |
| Wed. 6 p.m. CT |
RHP Clayton Johnson |
RHP John Day |
PREVIEW
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Illinois baseball team travels to Bradley for a Wednesday night midweek game against the Braves. Illinois (20-17, 11-4) is coming off their first B1G series loss of the season, dropping two of three games to Maryland at Illinois Field over the weekend,
The Illini won the last matchup with Bradley in 2019. Illinois is 42-23-1 all-time against Bradley, and the two teams have split the last four games. Sophomore RHP Clayton Johnson will get the start for the first time this season while Bradley will have RHP John Day on the mound.
Scott Beatty has the radio call on the Fighting Illini Sports Network. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
SERIES HISTORY
vs. Bradley
• Record: 42-23-1 (H: 23-12-1; A: 17-11; N: 3-0)
• Last: W, 4-2 (4/23/19 in Peoria, Ill.)
• Illinois and Bradley have split the last four games
• The very first meeting ended in a 10-10 tie on 4/21/1927 in Champaign
NOTES
• Illinois travels to Bradley for a Wednesday night midweek game in Peoria.
• Illinois won the last matchup with the Braves in 2019 and the two teams have split the last four matchups. The Illini lead the all-time series, 42-23-1.
• Cam McDonald has reached base safely in every game this season (48-game on-base streak dating back to 5/8/21).
» McDonald is currently second on the Illini all-time on-base streak list
• Illinois is averaging 6.19 runs per game in 37 games this season.
» Illinois has scored 10+ runs 11 times, going 10-1 in those games
• Illinois has recorded 10+ hits in 22 of 37 (59%) games this season.
• Illinois is hitting .286 as a team which ranks third in the Big Ten. The Illini are also third in the Big Ten in hits (377).
• Head Coach Dan Hartleb is currently at 496 wins, just four short of the 500 mark.
• Illinois has scored six or more runs in every win but one this season.
• Illinois is 10-3 at home this season.
• Illinois is 11-4 in the Big Ten.
• Cam McDonald and Branden Comia each have a team-high 16 multi-hit games this season.
• Cam McDonald leads the Illini in batting average (.366), RBI (41), and SLG (.579).
• Justin Janas leads the Illini in OBP (.480), OPS (1.030), and HBP (18). His 18 HBP ranks second in the Big Ten.
• Cole Kirschsieper leads the team in ERA (2.62), IP (58.1), strikeouts (65), and starts (10). He has a 65-20 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
• Illinois pitchers Cole Kirschsieper, Ty Rybarcyzk, and Ryan Kutt threw a combined two-hitter in a 19-1 win over Maryland on 4/22.
• Illinois has won four of five B1G series this season and has swept two B1G series (Purdue and Northwestern).
• Illinois swept Northwestern in a three-game series at Illinois Field (4/15-4/17).
» The Illini have won eight of the last nine series against Northwestern
• 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).
• 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 travels to Bloomington, Ind. for a three-game set with the Hoosiers this weekend.
