Connor Tomko Assistant Director of Athletics Communication | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics
Connor Tomko Assistant Director of Athletics Communication | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics
Illinois baseball is set to conclude its regular season with a three-game series against Purdue at Alexander Field in West Lafayette, Indiana. The Illini currently hold the top spot in the Big Ten standings with a 15-6 record and have already secured a place in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament.
The series will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network, with Scott Beatty providing commentary for the Illini on the Busey Bank Illini Sports Network. Connor McKnight and Danan Hughes will cover all three games on BTN.
Purdue enters the weekend with a 33-19 overall record and a 13-8 mark in conference play. They recently lost two out of three games to Michigan. Luke Gaffney leads Purdue offensively with a .375 batting average, while Jordan Morales heads their pitching staff with a 7-4 record and a 3.94 ERA.
Illinois has historically performed well against Purdue, holding an all-time record of 172-86-1 against them. The last meeting between these teams in West Lafayette was in 2021, and Illinois has won six consecutive matchups against Purdue.
In their recent series against Iowa, Illinois finished their home schedule strong by winning two out of three games. This victory secured their position at the top of the Big Ten standings. Connor Milton led Illinois offensively during this series, posting impressive stats including a .444 batting average.
Illinois' success this season has been highlighted by setting a new single-season program record for home runs with 92, surpassing the previous record set in 1998. The team leads the Big Ten in home runs and ranks tied-for-17th nationally.
Several players have contributed significantly to Illinois' offensive performance this season. Cal Hejza has shown consistent improvement at the plate, while Brody Harding has reached double figures in home runs for the first time in his career. Camden Janik remains one of the toughest batters to strike out nationwide.
Looking ahead, Illinois will participate in postseason play starting May 21 as they head to Omaha, Nebraska for the Big Ten Tournament.
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