Illinois at #18 Southern Miss
When	February 24-26
Where	Hattiesburg, Miss. (Pete Taylor Park)
Live Video	ESPN+ ($) | Fri. | Sat. | Sun.
Radio	WDWS AM-1400 // FightingIllini.com >> Feb. 26
Live Stats	Fri. | Sat. | Sun.
Notes	Illinois | Southern Miss
Shop	Online Store | Auctions
Social Media	@IlliniBaseball | @IlliniBaseball | Facebook | YouTube

PREVIEW

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The Illinois baseball team returns to action Friday in Hattiesburg, Miss., where they face the No. 18 Southern Miss Golden Eagles for three games at Pete Taylor Park.

The Illini split their opening four games of the season, taking both games against Youngstown State before dropping two to No. 6 Wake Forest at David F. Couch Ballpark in Winston-Salem, N.C.

The Orange and Blue will use the same rotation as the previous weekend, with right-hander Riley Gowens taking the mound for the Illini in the series opener. Gowens earned a win his first time out, striking out 11 Penguin batters in the season opener on Feb. 17. Right-hander Jack Crowder gets the ball on Saturday, he allowed just one run in four innings of work in his start against Wake Forest. Right-hander Jack Wenninger gets the call for Sunday's series finale, and like Gowens, also racked up 11 punchouts against the Penguins in his first start of the season.

All games against No. 18 Southern Miss can be viewed on ESPN+.

SERIES HISTORY

vs. Southern Miss

• Record: 0-0
• Last: n/a
• First ever meeting between the two programs

NOTES

• Illinois heads to Hattiesburg, Miss., to take on the No. 18 Southern Miss Golden Eagles at Pete Taylor Park.

    » This will be the first ever matchup between the two programs.

    » First of two Illinois series against Sun Belt programs (at Coastal Carolina, March 10-12).

• Illinois began its 144th season of play with a four-game set at David F. Couch Ballpark, with two games against the Youngstown State Penguins and the No. 6 Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

    » The Illini won both contests against Youngstown State and dropped both games against Wake Forest.

• Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb is second on the program's all-time win list with 509. He is just 10 wins away from passing Lee Eilbracht (518) for the most in program history. 

    » Hartleb reached 500 career wins on May 7, 2022, with a win over Miami (0H).

• OF Danny Doligale paced the club offensively through the first four games of the season, going 5-for-14 at the plate with a double, a home run and one RBI. Doligale also drew six walks and is currently getting on-base at a .500 clip, which also leads the squad.

    » Doligale had two hits in each game against No. 6 Wake Forest.

• RHP Riley Gowens and RHP Jack Wenninger each had career-high setting 11 strikeouts in thier starts against Youngstown State.

• Illinois' 17 strikeouts against Youngstown State on Saturday were its most in a game since also fanning 17 against Northwestern on March 26, 2021.

    » The Illini pitching staff recorded double-digit strikeout totals in the opening two games of a season in three-straight years.

• INF Branden Comia extended his on-base streak to 44 games, which dates back to last season, by going 4-for-15 with one home run and three RBI.

    » Comia is one of two Illini batters to pick up a hit in each of the first four games of the season.

• OF Ryan Moerman picked up two doubles last weekend at the plate, collecting a team-high 5 RBI through four games.

• C Camden Janik enters the series with a four-game hitting streak, currently a career-high mark. Janik went  5-for-15 with a home run and two RBI in his opening four games of the season.

• Illinois has 22 returners and 14 newcomers on the 2023 roster.

     » Eight newcomers are transfers: RHP Korey Bunselmeyer (Rend Lake), RHP TJ Constertina (St. Thomas), LHP John Lundgren (North Alabama), INF Coltin Quagliano (Illinois Central), C Jacob Schroeder (John A. Logan), OF Christian Smith (Vanderbilt), RHP Logan Tabeling (Wright State) and INF Drake Westcott (Louisville).

• The Illini return three all-Big Ten selections: Branden Comia (2nd), Cam McDonald (2nd) and Danny Doligale (3rd).

• Big Ten Preseason Honors: RHP Jack Crowder, RHP Riley Gowens, OF Cam McDonald.

• D1Baseball Big Ten top 2023 MLB Draft prospects: No. 23 RHP Jack Crowder

• D1Baseball top players:

    » RHP Riley Gowens - SP No. 167

    » INF Branden Comia - 3B No. 29

    » OF Danny Doligale - OF No. 102

    » OF Cam McDonald - OF No. 145

• Perfect Game Preseason Big Ten All-Conference: OF Cam McDonald.

• Perfect Game Big Ten top 2023 MLB Draft prospects: No. 24 Cam McDonald, No. 34 Branden Comia.

• Illinois' new $8-million, 26,000-square foot Susan and Clint Atkins Baseball Training Center opened in September 2022.

UP NEXT

Illinois will travel to Huntsville, Texas, to take on the Sam Houston Bearkats at Don Sanders Stadium for a three-game set.