Last night, the Illinois baseball program celebrated at its annual Hot Stove Banquet. Sponsored by the Illini Baseball program and the Illinois Baseball Dugout Club, the Hot Stove is held every year in the offseason. Fans at the banquet were treated to a terrifically uncompromising speech by Hall of Fame…
David Kerian is welcomed back to the dugout by starting pitcher Drasen Johnson after scoring the winning run As some of the Illinois baseball “oldtimers” who have shown up for this weekend’s alumni festivities can attest, there something about a Illinois-Michigan State series. Adam Walton slaps a triple to drive…
Just a few more fun photos I took at last night’s Fighting Illini Baseball Hot Stove Banquet. Photo op before the event. From left to right, Dugout Club President Jon Swenson, Chris Robinson and Coach Dan Hartleb. Former Illini Chris Robinson and Kyle Hudson greet each other at the…
Opposing pitchers must get unnerved by Jordan Parr’s menacing stare Illinois travels to Bloomington, Indiana to face the #16 Hoosiers who are one the toughest Big Ten Baseball teams I have seen since following the conference. FightingIllini.com has the official preview notes up and probable starters are already named…
Reliever Anthony Milazzo pitches under a full moon Friday’s game against Indiana was just not meant to be. Before Illinois even had a hit, Indiana racked up seven runs off starter Kevin Johnson (5-2), who had won his previous five starts. From then on it just one missed opportunity after…
Good news for former Illini 3B Dominic Altobelli. One week after getting written up in the local paper where he plays for the Tri-City Dust Devils, he’s been promoted to the next level. He’ll be playing for the Class A Asheville Tourists in the Colorado Rockies organization. Dom is off…
An excited email from Mike Altobelli landed in my inbox today. He was happy because Jack Millikin of the Tri-City Herald did a write-up on his son, former Illini thirdbaseman Dominic Altobelli. “I like the attitude Altobelli brings to the park. He wants to move up, but he’s not going…
Mike Altobelli sent me an update on his son Dominic Altobelli. Along with the update came a digital baseball card of the former Illini thirdbaseman from when he played with the Tri-City Dust Devils in 2010. Mike says in part: “(Dom) has been busy Teaching at Marist High School and…
Congrats to Brian de la Torriente who was named to the Prospect League’s West Division All-Star team. The East and West played to a 3-3 tie on July 6. de la pitched one inning allowing a run and striking out two batters. The Northwoods League All-Star classic is coming up…
Good news from the Altobellis. Former Illini 3B Dominic Altobelli, who has been playing in extended spring training so far this year, has been promoted to the Tri-City Dust Devils, a single-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. He’ll be moving up in more ways than one. Dom will be leaving…