| Probable Starting Pitchers |
| Day |
Illinois (18-19, 7-8) |
Ohio State (20-21, 3-12) |
| Fri. 5 p.m. CT |
RHP Jack Crowder (2-0, 7.76) |
LHP Gavin Bruni (2-2, 5.35) |
| Sat. 1 p.m. CT |
RHP Jack Wenninger (4-3, 5.01) |
RHP Jonah Jenkins (4-3, 3.08) |
| Sun. 12 p.m. CT |
TBA |
TBA |
PREVIEW
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Fighting Illini baseball (18-18, 7-8) returns to Big Ten action with a weekend series against Ohio State (20-21, 3-12) at Bill Davis Stadium. Friday's series opener is scheduled for a 5:00 p.m. CT first pitch, with 1:00 p.m. CT and 12:00 p.m. CT first pitches to follow on Saturday and Sunday. All three ballgames will be streamed on B1G+.
Illinois heads into the series coming off a narrow 7-6 midweek defeat to Bradley. Branden Comia went 3-for-5 in the contest and Ryan Moerman picked up a pair of RBI. Alex Vera worked 3.1 innings of one-run ball in relief, racking up four strikeouts.
The Orange and Blue are scheduled to send right-hander Jack Crowder to the mound in Friday's series opener with righty Jack Wenninger slated to get the ball Saturday. Sunday's starter for the series finale is to be announced.
SERIES HISTORY
vs. Ohio State
• Record: 103-107-2 (H: 55-48; A: 44-55-2; N: 4-4)
• Last: W, 8-0 (3/7/21 at Greenville)
• Ohio State won three of four in 2021
• First series in Columbus 2015...Illinois swept the series, extending their winning streak at the time to 21 games.
• Illinois has won seven of last 10 in Columbus.
NOTES
• Illinois heads to Columbus for a three-game Big Ten series against Ohio State at Bill Davis Stadium.
» First meeting since the teams had a four-game series from March 5-7, 2022, at Fluor Field in Greeneville, S.C...the Buckeyes took three of four games.
» First series in Columbus since May 1-3, 2015...the Illini swept that series, extending their winning streak to 21 games...that Illinois team would go on to win 27-straight games, setting a Big Ten record.
» The Illini have won seven of last 10 games in Columbus...have won just one of last five overall against Ohio State.
• Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb earned win No. 519 on April 2 against Michigan, passing Lee Eilbracht for the most in program history...currently has 525 career wins.
» Hartleb reached 500 career wins on May 7, 2022, with a win over Miami (0H).
• Illinois is coming off a midweek defeat to Bradley, 7-6, on Tuesday at Dozer Field in Peoria, Ill..
» The Illini split the season series with the Braves.
» The loss snapped a four-game winning streak in Peoria...had a season-high matching three-game winning streak snapped.
» The Illini are now 2-5 in one-run contests this season.
• C Camden Janik went 1-for-3 with a run and a pair of walks against Bradley.
» Has drawn at least one walk in five-straight games...has two multi-walk games during that span.
• INF Drake Westcott went 1-for-4 with a run, double and an RBI on Tuesday.
» Extended his hitting streak to six games...has gone 7-for-20 (.350) during that span with a double, two home runs and four RBI.
• OF Ryan Moerman went 1-for-4 with two RBI and was hit by a pitch in Tuesday's ballgame.
» Snapped a seven-game skid without recording an RBI.
» Extended his hitting streak to four games...has gone 7-for-19 (.368) during that span.
• INF Branden Comia went 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI against Bradley.
» First three-hit game of the season.
• LHP Alex Vera worked 3.0 innings of one-run ball in relief against the Braves, allowing just one hit.
» 3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R/ER, 3 BB, 4 SO
» Has three relief appearances of 3.0+ innings pitched this season and has allowed two earned runs or fewer in all of those outings.
• OF Cam McDonald played in the 200th game of his Illini career on April 18 vs. Eastern Illinois.
» Is 12 games away from being tied for 10th in games played in program history...is two starts away from being tied for 10th in career starts.
» Is also six hits away from tied for tenth all time in program history.
• 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 heads to Terre Haute, Ind., to take on Indiana State on Tuesday, May 2, to close out this five-game road trip. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. CT.
