| Probable Starting Pitchers |
| Day |
Illinois (15-17, 4-8) |
Eastern Illinois (19-13, 3-6) |
| Tue. 6:00 p.m. CT |
RHP Julius Sanchez (0-3, 8.54) |
RHP Nick Laxner (2-1, 4.35) |
PREVIEW
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Fighting Illini baseball continues this seven-game homestand with a midweek contest against Eastern Illinois on Tuesday, April 18. First pitch from Illinois Field is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CT.
This is the first and only meeting between the programs this season, with the Illini falling to the Panthers, 4-2, in the lone ballgame between the two programs last season on March 8, 2022.
Freshman right-hander. Julius Sanchez will make the start for Illinois. He last worked in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader vs. Indiana, working 2.0 scoreless innings in relief, allowing just one hit and striking out two. Sanchez will be making his first start since April 1 vs. Michigan.
SERIES HISTORY
vs. Eastern Illinois
• Record: 55-25 (H: 36-13, A: 13-11, N: 5-2)
• Last: L, 4-2 (3/8/22 at Champaign, Ill.)
• Illinois has won five of last six...seven of last 10
• Illini won 13 straight from 1987-94
NOTES
• Illinois continues this season-long seven-game homestand with a midweek contest against Eastern Illinois.
» The Illini have won five of the last six matchups, going 3-1 at Illinois Field during that span.
• Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb earned win No. 519 on April 2 against Michigan, passing Lee Eilbracht for the most in program history.
» Hartleb reached 500 career wins on May 7, 2022, with a win over Miami (0H).
• Illinois dropped its fourth-straight Big Ten series to Indiana over the weekend, winning the opener on Friday before being swept in Saturday's doubleheader.
» The Illini earned their first Big Ten series opening win on Friday in a thrilling 7-5 contest, with Jacob Schroeder launching a three-run shot in the bottom of the eighth to give Illinois the lead.
» Illinois allowed a season-high matching 16 runs in the second game of the twin bill and suffered its largest margin of defeat this season (13 runs).
» First time since 2017 that Illinois has lost four Big Ten series in a season.
• INF Cal Hejza went 4-for-7 (.571) with a run, RBI and three walks in the series against Indiana.
» His average was a team-high...tied for most walks in the series (Schroeder).
» Extended his hitting streak to seven games, matching a career high...is batting .450 (9-for-20) during that span.
• C Camden Janik went 5-for-12 with a run, double, RBI and walk over the weekend.
» Extended his hitting streak to career-high 11 games...is batting .415 (17-for-41) during that span with two doubles, a triple, two home runs and seven RBI...is his second double-digit game hitting streak this season.
» Has three two-hit games in his last four.
• C Jacob Schroeder homered twice in the series, picking up five RBI.
» Had the go-ahead three-run homer in Friday's game and then launched another home run on Saturday's doubleheader opener...was the third time this season that he has homered in consecutive games.
• INF Drake Westcott also homered twice against Indiana, doing so on Friday and in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader.
» Hit his team leading 10th home run of the season on Saturday...has homered three times in his last four games.
» His 10 home runs rank tied for fifth among Big Ten hitters...is just one of six Big Ten batters to have double-digit home run totals.
• LHP John Lundgren tossed 3.0 scoreless inning in relief in Saturday's doubleheader opener.
» Matched a career-high for most innings pitched...allowed just two hits while striking out a career-high four batters.
» Has not allowed a run in his last 4.2 innings of work (2 G).
• 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
The Illini will conclude this homestand with a three-game series against Minnesota. First pitch from Illinois Field for the series opener on Friday, April 21, is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CT.
