| Probable Starting Pitchers |
| Day |
Illinois |
Opponent |
| Tue. 3 p.m. CT |
LHP Cooper Omans (0-0, 4.50) |
TBA |
PREVIEW
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. --Â Illinois baseball welcomes Eastern Illinois to Illinois Field for the 2024 home opener on Tuesday, Feb. 27. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT.
Left-hander Cooper Omans is slated to get the ball for the Illini and make his home debut. Omans last worked in the second game of the doubleheader vs. Akron on Feb. 16, where he allowed two runs over 4.0 innings, striking out a pair.
The contest can be streamed on B1G+.
SERIES HISTORY
vs. Eastern Illinois
- Record: 55-26 (H: 36-14, A: 12-11, N: 7-1)
- Last: L, 0-1 (12) (4/18/23 at Illinois Field)
- EIU has won two-straight...Illini have won five of last seven.
- Illinois won 13-straight from 1987-94
NOTES
AT A GLANCE
Tuesday's home opener against Eastern Illinois marks the earliest outdoor home opener in Illinois baseball history. The Fighting Illini competed half of the 1891 season indoors, at , with the home indoor opener that season being played on Feb. 7 vs. Danville Cycling Club, where the Orange and Blue was victorious 12-10. The Illini played their first home game outdoors that season on May 15 vs. Wabash, where they won 14-10.
Illinois has gone 7-3 in its last 10 home openers overall, but have dropped two-straight. The Illini fell 7-3 in 10 innings to Indiana State in the first game at Illinois Field in the 2023 edition.
HOME COOKING
Illinois baseball plays in front of the Illini faithful for the first time this season when they welcome Eastern Illinois to Champaign. The Fighting Illini went 11-8 at Illinois Field last season, going 3-2-0 in weekend series at this facility.
Scott Beatty will call the action for the Illini on the Busey Bank Illini Sports Network (1400 AM/93.9FM). Streaming, audio, and stats links are also available at FightingIllini.com.
ABOUT THE OPPONENT
Eastern Illinois comes into the contest with a 1-5 record, having been swept by Nicholls over the weekend in Thibodaux, La.
The Panthers were Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Champions last season, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. In the Nashville Regional, EIU was knocked out in two games after defeats to No. 4 Vanderbilt and Xavier.
UTIL Cole Gober leads Eastern at the plate, coming into the contest with a .478 average (11-for-23) with a home run and two RBI. INF Lucas Loos is batting .455 (10-for-22) and leads the team in both home runs (2) and RBI (6).
U of I alum Jason Anderson is in his ninth year at the helm of the program and has an overall record of 189-203. Anderson, a three-year letterwinner, was one of the best pitchers in the country in 2000, earning three All-America selections, including first-team nods from ABCA and Collegiate Baseball. The Danville, Ill., native also earned two All-Big Ten First Team selections and was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Year in 2000.
ALL-TIME SERIES INFO
Sunday's game marks the 82nd all-time meeting between the programs, with Illinois leading, 55-26. The Illini suffered a 1-0 defeat in 12 innings in last season's matchup on April 18, 2023.
Illinois is on a brief two-game slide against Eastern, but have won seven of the last 10 overall.
BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK
In the first inning of Friday's game at No. 25 Coastal Carolina, INF Coltin Quagliano, INF Drake Westcott and OF Ryan Moerman all homered in consecutive at-bats. They became the first set of Illini to slug back-to-back-to-back home runs since April 24, 1998.
FEELING THE CHEE-SIEST
OF Cameron Chee-Aloy had a big first weekend in the Orange and Blue, going 4-for-13 (.308) with six runs scored, three home runs, six RBIÂ and two walks.
» Had a pair of go-ahead two-run homers during the doubleheader against Akron...the first of his career in
the opener proved to be the game winner.
Chee-Aloy hit safely in all three games over this past weekend at Coastal Carolina to extend his hitting streak to seven games.
QUALITY AND QUANITY
Illinois got two quality starts during the opening weekend, with RHP Jack Crowder picking up the first of his season in game one of the doubleheader vs. Akron on Feb. 16 and LHP Regan Hall recording the first one of his career on Feb. 18 vs. Fordham.
Crowder did not factor into the decision but went on to strikeout nine over 6.0 innings, allowing one run on three hits in the Illini's season-opening victory.
Hall turned in a stellar collegiate debut, as the freshman earned the first win of his career by holding the Rams to just one run on the three hits in 6.0 innings, punching out nine along the way. Hall retired 14 of the final 16 batters he faced.
OPENING DAY HISTORY
After defeat Akron to opening the campaign, Illinois is now 6-2 in their last eight season openers...the Illini snapped a brief two-game losing streak in curtain raisers in their 9-6 victory over Youngstown State in 2023.
DAN HARTLEB, THE WINNINGEST COACH ATÂ ILLINOIS
Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb earned win No. 519 on April 2, 2023, against Michigan, passing Lee Eilbracht for the most in program history...currently has 534 career wins.
THEY HAVE THE POWER
Illinois batters slugged a total of 89 home runs last season, falling just two dingers shy of matching the program record of 91, set in 1998.
» The Illini return 72 percent (64/89) of their home run production to the team this year.
» Slugged a program-record 46 home runs during Big Ten play last season.
» INF Drake Westcott crushed a team-leading 18 home runs in 2023, becoming the first Illini to hit at least 18 in single season since Bren Spillane in 2018.
CLEAN FIELDING
The Illini led the Big Ten in fielding percentage during conference play (.986) last season for the second-straight year and for the fourth time in the last five seasons overall.
The Illini have had at least a .970 overall fielding percentage in 11 of the last 13 seasons.
NEW YEAR, NEW FACES
Illinois has 21 returners and 16 newcomers on the 2024 roster.
  » Nine newcomers are transfers: OF Asher Bradd (Illinois-Springfield), LHP Evan Clark (Southern California), LHP Reed Gannon (Kentucky), RHP Will Lavin (Bemidji State), RHP Decker Mac Neil (Santa Barbara City College), LHP Cooper Omans (Nova Southeastern), LHP Sam Reed (Eastern Michigan), RHP Jake Rons (Long Beach State) and INF Vytas Valincius (John A. Logan CC).
ILLINIÂ TRIOÂ EARNÂ BIGÂ TENÂ PRESEASONÂ HONORS
A trio of Illini baseball players were selected Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch, the conference announced on Feb. 14.Â
Right-handers Jack Crowder and Logan Tabeling, as well as outfielder Ryan Moerman, were all named to the list.Â
Crowder earns preseason honors for the second-straight year. The senior amassed 35 strikeouts in 42.1 innings of work last season over 17 games, six starts.Â
Tabeling is coming off his first season in the Orange and Blue, where he made 14 relief appearances, whiffing 13 batters over 16.0 innings.Â
Moerman is named to the list after earning All-Big Ten Second Team honors in 2023. The junior slashed .300/.372/.547 to go along with 12 home runs and 44 RBI. Moerman ranked among team leaders in batting average (2nd), RBI (T-2nd) and home runs (T-3rd).Â
ONES TO WATCH
• D1Baseball Big Ten Top 2024 MLB Draft Prospects: No. 28 RHP Jack Crowder, No. 31 RHP Logan Tabeling, No. 34 C Camden Janik.
• D1Baseball Big Ten Impact Freshman: No. 20 RHP Parker Burgess, No. 22 LHP Regan Hall, No. 24 OF Cameron Chee-Aloy.
• Perfect Game Big Ten Top 2024 MLB Draft Prospects: No. 16 RHP Jack Crowder, No. 21 OF Ryan Moerman, No. 37 RHP Logan Tabeling, No. 41 INF Drake Westcott.
ILLINI BASEBALL INKS EIGHT TO 2024 CLASS
"I am extremely excited about our 2024 signing class," head coach Dan Hartleb said. "We have four very athletic and competitive baseball student-athletes. This group has excelled against some of the best competition in the country."
"We have filled some big needs with very quality athletes who have a high ceiling. Our staff did a great job of identifying and securing commitments from this sought-after class. We are looking forward to working with the entire group."
Mitch Dye / RHP / Springfield, Ill.
Will Johannes / C // 1B / Mukwonago, Wis.
Greg LaChance / INF / Whitby, Ontario, Canada
Luke Landrus / C / St. Joseph, Ill.
Reece Marley / LHP / Clearwater Beach, Fla.
Brayden Mazzacano / OF / Schaumburg, Ill.
Grant Ross / INF // RHP / Pewaukee, Wis.
Luke Weber / RHP / Highland Park, Ill.
UP NEXT
Illinois travels to Greenville, S.C., for the First Pitch Invitational, hosted by Michigan State. The Illini will take on Florida State, Western Michigan and the Spartans at Fluor Field, home of the Greenville Drive, the High-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.
