| Probable Starting Pitchers |
| Day |
Illinois (12-12, 2-4) |
Illinois State (9-13, 2-4) |
| Tue. 6:00 p.m. CT |
RHP Jake Swartz (0-1, 5.52) |
LHP Sean Sinisko (0-0, 11.68) |
PREVIEW
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Fighting Illini baseball wraps up this four-game homestand with a midweek contest against Illinois State on Tuesday. First pitch from Illinois Field is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CT.
This is the first of two meetings in eight days between the two programs, as Illinois heads to Normal on April 11.
The Illini are coming off a second-straight series loss, with Michigan taking two of three in Champaign this past weekend. In Sunday's 11-1 win in the series finale, head coach Dan Hartleb became with winningest head coach in program history, earning win No. 519, passing Lee Eilbracht.
RHP Jake Swartz will make his fourth-straight mid-week start for the Illini. He suffered the loss in his last start on March 28 vs. Missouri in Braggin' Rights in Sauget, Ill., allowing five runs, four earned, on seven hits in 4.2 innings of work. Swartz picked up a career-high seven strikeouts in the outing.
SERIES HISTORY
vs. Illinois State
• Record: 57-34 (H: 33-17, A: 24-17)
• Last: W, 11-9 (4/12/22 vs. Illinois St.)
• Illinois has won 10 of last 12 since 2015
• Illinois has won 13 of last 16 since 2012
• Illini have won 10-straight at home since 2011
NOTES
• Illinois welcomes Illinois State to Illinois Field for a midweek showdown.
» The Illini have won 10-straight against the Redbirds in Champaign, dating back to March 30, 2011.
» Have won 13 of the last 16 matchups dating back to April 17, 2012.
» Illinois is 2-3 at home this season.
• Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb earned win No. 519 in Sunday's series finale 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 weekend series to Michigan, taking defeats on Friday and Saturday before winning on Sunday.
» The Illini are now 2-4 in Big Ten play this season, picking up both wins in series finales.
» Illinois slugged 10 home runs during the series, while posting a team average of .315.
»Eight different players went yard over the weekend.
• OF Ryan Moerman went 5-for-12 with five runs, two home runs, four RBI and a walk in the series against Michigan.
» Has multi-hit games in four of his last six, including two three-hit performances.
» Has raised his average from .284 to .330 over his last seven games.
» Tied for second on the team with six home runs this season.
» Has homered in four of his last five games.
» Has a team-high 28 RBI.
• INF Brody Harding posted a team-high .455 (5-for-11) average against Michigan, to go along with one home run, five RBI and a walk.
» Had four RBI on Sunday, setting a new career-high mark.
» Extended his hitting streak to a career-high six games.
» Has gone 10-for-16 (.625) during that span, with a double, home run, six RBI and three walks.
• RHP Jack Wenninger picked up his team-high fourth win of the season in his start on Sunday.
» Career-high 8.0 innings of work and allowed one run on just three hits.
» Made his second-straight quality start.
» Has 11 strikeouts and two walks during that span.
• INF Drake Westcott slugged his team-leading seventh home run of the season on Sunday.
» Went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, a home run and an RBI on Sunday...went 4-for-13 with two runs, one home run, one RBI and one walk in the series.
» First three-hit game of his collegiate career on Sunday.
• C Jacob Schroeder went 3-for-5 with two runs, a home run and four RBI on Sunday, his only game of the series.
» His three hits and four RBI are Illini career highs.
» Has six home runs in 47 at bats...tied for second-highest total on team.
» Has six multi-RBI games on 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 travels to Evanston to take on Northwestern for a three-game weekend set at Rocky and Berenice Miller Park. First pitch on Friday's series opener is slated for 3:00 p.m. CT.
