Jim Halpin Associate Athletic Trainer (Baseball) | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics
Jim Halpin Associate Athletic Trainer (Baseball) | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics
Illinois baseball is preparing for its final home series of the season against Iowa, as they conclude a seven-game homestand. The Illini currently hold first place in the Big Ten with a 13-5 record. Illinois recently secured a series victory over Ohio State, finishing with a decisive 12-2 win on May 5.
The starting pitcher for Friday's game will be Jack Crowder, who holds a 4-1 record and an ERA of 5.07. The starters for Saturday and Sunday are yet to be announced.
This weekend's games will feature several promotions. Saturday is designated as Senior Day, where 14 student-athletes will be recognized before the game. Additionally, it marks the final distribution of this year's baseball card set featuring seniors. Due to commencement activities, certain parking areas will not be available on Saturday.
Sunday's game coincides with Mother's Day and includes the last Bark in the Park event of the season.
Historically, Illinois has maintained a strong record against Iowa, standing at 135-90-2 overall. The Illini have won four out of their last five encounters with Iowa since 2021.
Iowa enters this series with a record of 28-18 and has struggled somewhat in away games this season. Raider Tello leads Iowa offensively with a .366 batting average.
Illinois has been performing well at home this season, boasting an 18-2 record at Illinois Field after their recent series against Ohio State. They also achieved an eight-game winning streak during their longest homestand from April 9 to April 23.
Several players have contributed significantly to Illinois' success. Brody Harding delivered impressive performances against Ohio State, while Cal Hejza continues his best season at bat. Camden Janik extended his hitting streak to 11 games and remains one of the toughest outs nationally.
Regan Hall provided crucial relief pitching in the recent series finale against Ohio State, contributing to Illinois' fourth walk-off win of the season.
Illinois is leading in several Big Ten statistical categories including home runs and slugging percentage. Individually, Camden Janik ranks high in batting average within the conference standings.
Following this weekend's series against Iowa, Illinois will conclude its regular season with three games at Purdue starting May 10.
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