This weekend, the Illini (7-8) welcome the Nebraska Cornhuskers (11-4) to Illinois Field for a three-game set. Coming off a 1-2 series against the Wildcats, the Illini hope to regain some momentum.
Like the series with Northwestern itself, Illinois’ season has been a rollercoaster ride. After starting out with three straight losses, the Illinois ship righted itself and won four in a row. After last weekend’s fireworks, the Illini’s record sits at 7-8 and tied for seventh place with Iowa in the Big Ten.
If Illinois is up for a big challenge, then they will get one this weekend. The Huskers have the most wins (tied with Indiana with 11) in the Big Ten. Technically, they are third in the standings (behind Indiana and Michigan) by virtue of playing a few more games.
Game time on Friday is 6pm.
On the mound
It was a tough weekend for the starters against the ‘Cats. Well, to be fair, it was tough for both sides. Andrew Hoffmann lasted the longest at 3 1/3 innings on Friday. While he did not earn the win, the team did thanks to Nate Lavender’s outstanding relief effort. He pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings for the win. Looking back on the weekend now, it amazes me that he kept the Wildcats quiet that long.
Lavender (3-0, 0.75 ERA) sits on one earned run on the year. For his efforts, he earned the Friday start this weekend. Ty Rybarczyk (1-2, 11.81 ERA) will be on the mound for Saturday night’s game and Riley Gowens (1-1, 6.17 ERA) will take the hill on Sunday for his first start at home.
You’ll notice that the times for Friday’s and Saturday’s have changed. The reason? Forecasted high winds.
Keep those pitches down, guys!
| Indiana Hoosiers | |
| Bert Kaufman Field | Bloomington, Indiana |
| Friday, April 29 | 11am CT Saturday, April 30 | 1pm CT Sunday, May 1 | 12pm CT |  |
| WDWS AM-1400 | B1G+ | Live Stats |
Random Ramblings
When I went to the ball park last Friday, I wasn’t sure what to expect during the game with the “no-fans” policy in place. How much of a production would it be with fans not in stands? As it turns out, it didn’t seem much different.
First of all, players were allowed to grant two passes for family members. Also, members of the media were in attendance. While there was no promotional events which usually occur between innings, there was a PA announcer, at-bat music, the scoreboard was fully functioning (except during the occasional glitches that happen in the early season). There was even the contextual music and sound bytes that we’re so used to.
For the sake of the players, I’m glad that the games are being played as normally as they can be.
Those who wanted to see a ballgame found creative ways to watch. Some found gaps in the tarp and enjoyed watching outside the grounds. Others parked beyond the outfield wall and sat on their car. I even saw a couple on Friday who were sitting on a blanket in the cemetery across Florida Avenue.
Illini fans can take some heart that according to each game announcement, “The current policy will continue to be evaluated as the spring season goes along.”. Fingers crossed.
Illinois Baseball is the best show in town and people will find a way to see it!
Player highlights
Branden Comia (above) is really coming around! Not that I had any doubt that he would. His batting average jumped from .256 to .370 when he went 10 for 15 last weekend.
Any other time, that would be a candidate for Player of the Week. Except last weekend was not any other weekend. Illinois opponent Northwestern hit fifteen homers in three games. And you guessed it, the POW went to Shawn Goosenberg of the ‘Cats.
Jackson Raper deserves some mention for his performance over the weekend. He went 4 for 11 and three of those four hits went yard. Even more incredibly, he was clutch, he drove in nine runs including six on Saturday.
Justin Janas is quietly putting together a very productive season for the Illini. He went 6 for 13 with 3 ribbies last weekend and is now hitting .357 for 2021.
Go Illini!