University of Illinois
Penn State
Illinois Travels to Penn State to Wrap Up B1G Regular Season
May 18, 2022 | Baseball
Preview
| Illinois (28-20, 14-7) at Penn State (25-24, 11-10) | |
|---|---|
| When | May 19-21, 2022 |
| Where | State College, Pa. // Medlar Field at Lubrano Park |
| Television | BTN (Thursday) |
| Live Video | B1G+ (Friday & Saturday) |
| Radio | WDWS AM-1400 |
| Live Stats | Sidearm Stats |
| Notes | Illinois |
| Shop | Online Store | Auctions | Publications |
| Social Media | @IlliniBaseball  | #Illini | @IlliniBaseball  | Facebook  | YouTube  |
| Probable Starting Pitchers | |||||||||
| Day | Illinois | Penn State | |||||||
| Thu. 4 p.m. CT |
LHP Kirschsieper |
RHP Henline |
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| Fri. 5 p.m. CT |
RHP Gowens |
TBA |
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| Sat. 12 p.m. CT |
TBA |
TBA |
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PREVIEW
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The Illinois baseball team heads to Penn State for the final Big Ten series of the season beginning Thursday evening. Illinois (28-20, 14-7) is currently tied for third place in the Big Ten and is coming off a series win over Nebraska, their fifth Big Ten series win of the season. Penn State is 25-24 (11-10 B1G) and won one of three at Ohio State last weekend.
Thursday's game will be on Big Ten Network while Friday and Saturday's games will both be streamed on B1G+. Scott Beatty has the radio call for all three games on the Fighting Illini Sports Network.
SERIES HISTORY
vs. Penn State
• Record: 41-30 (H: 22-13; A: 17-15; N: 2-2)
• Last: L, 4-13 (5/23/21 at Illinois Field)
• Illini have won 16 of the last 18 meetings
• Doug Hayes threw one-hitter vs. PSU 3/26/16
• Illini swept series in 2013, '14, '15, '19
NOTES
• Illinois travels to Penn State for the final series of the season before heading to Omaha, Neb. for the B1G Tournament (May 25-29).
• The Illini are 41-30 all-time against the Nittany Lions and have won 16 of the last 18 meetings.
• Illinois is 14-7 and currently tied for third place in the Big Ten heading into the series.
• Cam McDonald has reached base in every game this season (59 games). He set the Illinois on-base streak record, reaching base in his 58th consecutive game (dating back to 5/8/21) against Nebraska on May 14.
• Illinois finished the season 16-4 at Illinois Field.
• Illinois is averaging 7.02 runs per game in 48 games this season.
» Illinois has scored 10+ runs 12 times, going 11-1 in those games
• Illinois has recorded 10+ hits in 29 of 48 (60%) games this season.
• Illinois is hitting .292 as a team which ranks third in the Big Ten. The Illini are second in the Big Ten in fielding percentage (.978).
• Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb reached 500 career wins on 5/7/22 with a win over Miami (0H).
• Cam McDonald leads the Illini in batting average (.379), RBI (51), and hits (72). His .379 batting average and 72 hits both rank third in the Big Ten.
• Justin Janas leads the Big Ten in on base percentage (.507). He also ranks second in the conference in HBP (23) and eighth in batting average (.359).
• Cole Kirschsieper leads the team in ERA (2.78), IP (77.2), strikeouts (82), and starts (13). His 2.78 ERA ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 77.2 innings pitched and 82 strikeouts both rank fifth.
• 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 won on a walk off for the second time this season on May 15 to win the Nebraska series.
» The game took seven hours and fourty five minutes to complete as a result of two separate rain delays totaling four hours and fifty-three minutes.
• Illinois has won four of six B1G series this season and has swept two B1G series (Purdue and Northwestern).
• Illinois swept Miami (OH) in a three-game series at Illinois Field (5/7-5/8).
» The sweep was the Illini's third of the season (Purdue, 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.
