NCAA Baseball News

Illini Set to Face Southern Illinois at Northeast Mississippi CC

Illini Set to Face Southern Illinois at Northeast Mississippi CC









Probable Starting Pitchers
Day Illinois Southern Illinois
Fri. 3 p.m. CT RHP Riley Gowens (0-0, 5.21) RHP Ben Chapman (1-0, 6.41)
Sat. 1 p.m. CT RHP Julius Sanchez (0-2, 5.65) RHP Easton Dermody (1-1, 5.85)
Sun. 12 p.m. CT RHP Jack Wenninger (2-0, 5.02) TBA

PREVIEW

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Illinois baseball team returns to action Friday in Booneville, Miss., where they face the Southern Illinois Salukis for three games at The Plex on the campus of Northeast Mississippi Community College.

The series was slated to be played in Champaign, but forecasted inclement weather forced a relocation.

The Illini fell in their home opener on Wednesday, 7-3, to Indiana State in extra innings, following their season-long 13-game road trip.

The Orange and Blue will send right-hander Riley Gowens to the mound for the in the series opener. Gowens took no decision in his fourth start of the season on March 10 against the Coastal Carolina, working 5.0 innings and allowing four runs, two earned, on four hits to go along with six strikeouts.

Freshman right-hander Julius Sanchez gets the ball again Saturday, making his third start of the season. Sanchez last worked on March 11 at Coastal, taking no decision after 4.1 innings of three-run ball.

Right-hander Jack Wenninger gets the call for Sunday’s series finale. Wenninger worked a scoreless ninth inning in relief against Indiana State. He was also slated to get the ball in the series finale against Coastal Carolina.

All three games against Southern Illinois can be viewed on BTN+.

SERIES HISTORY

vs. Southern Illinois

• Record: 43-42 (H: 18-17; A: 19-22; N: 6-3)

• Last: L, 7-5 (3/20/22 at SIU)

• Illinois won six of eight from 2018-19

• Illinois coach Dan Hartleb played at SIU

• Hartleb is 25-17 vs. SIU as a head coach

NOTES

• Illinois travels to Booneville, Miss., to take on Southern Illinois at ‘The Plex’ on the campus of Northeast Mississippi Community College.

    » Series was relocated from Champaign due to forecasted inclement weather.

    » SIU took two of three games when the programs faced off last season in Carbondale, Ill.

    » First neutral site game between the two teams since March 18, 2013, in Marion,…

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