What a week for Riley Gowens! On Sunday, he combined with Ryan O’Hara and Cole Kirschsieper for a historic no-hitter at Purdue. Pitching seven innings, he was named as one of Collegiate Baseball Newspaper National Players of the Week. Here is the official announcement from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. Libertyville native…
Illinois baseball travel north this Friday to face Minnesota Golden Gophers for a four-game set at the US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. A pessimist would point at the Illini’s 1-3 record. I prefer to look at it like this: Illinois has a chance to start a winning streak. With the…
How the spring 2021 college baseball season will exactly shape up is still up in the air but for now, it is status quo with pre-season workouts at the Irwin Practice Facility. And yes, pre-season selections are on tap. On Thursday, Branden Comia and Ryan Hampe were both named to…
Last week, FightingIllini.com announced that Illinois pitcher Aidan Maldonado was ranked #77 among draft prospects by Baseball America. Add that to another honor for the sophomore right-hander. Maldonado’s 2020 season was cut short by Covid-19, of course. He showed signs of continuing his success. In his 2019 season with the…
February 14th is Valentine’s Day. What better way to spend it with your loved one than to follow your favorite baseball team during their season opener? This weekend, Illinois will be taking on Milwaukee, Seton Hall and Wake Forest. It’s been a long off-season and we’re all ready for some…
In all the hoopla of Coach Hartleb’s Big Ten Coach of the Decade award early this week, one announcement might have been overlooked. Illini reliever Garrett Acton notched another award. On Tuesday, Acton was named to the Perfect Game Preseason All-American second team. This award adds to his Collegiate Baseball…
Illinois baseball is starting out the year right. D1baseball.com has named Coach Dan Hartleb the Big Ten Coach of the Decade! According to D1Baseball.com’s All Decade award-laden post: There’s plenty of competition for this honor. Former Indiana coach Tracy Smith has a good argument but only coached half the decade…
You know we’re getting close to the college baseball season when the pundits begin naming pre-season honors. Such is the case with Illini closer Garrett Acton. The senior righty was just named to the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper All-America second team. The honor is well deserved. Acton set the Illinois AND…
It was announced Wednesday that former Illini shortstop Shawn Roof was named Manager of the Year of the Class A Advanced California League. Roof earned the honor as manager of the Visalia Rawhide who have a league-best 78-46 record. The Rawhide easily won the Northern Division championship in the first…
When the 2019 MLB rookie draft came and went without Illini starter Andy Fisher’s name being called, I was more than a bit surprised. Fisher had been the staple of the Illini rotation going 7-1 with a 2.75 ERA in the 2019 season. More than that, I don’t think I…