Skip To Main Content

Upcoming Events and Recent Results

Western Illinois University Athletics

Beck
Matthew Brooks

Leathernecks Battle Hawkeyes In Iowa City

| By: WIU Athletic Communications

Western plays Iowa for the first time since the 2019 season.

Who | Western Illinois (4-32) at Iowa (23-13)
 
When | Tuesday (April 26) at 6:05 p.m.
 
Where | Duane Banks Field (Iowa City, Iowa)
 
Watch | BIG 10+
 
Listen | Hawkeye Radio Network
 
Social Media | Twitter + Facebook #TRADITIONofTOUGH
 
Western Illinois baseball hits the road for another Big 10 conference matchup. The Leathernecks take on the Iowa Hawkeyes in Iowa City for WIU's third power-five matchup of the season. First pitch from Duane Banks Field is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
 
Headlines
  • The Leathernecks are coming off three losses to the Omaha Mavericks over the weekend. Western Illinois had opportunities to win all three matchups, but late runs from Omaha helped them steal all three games.
  • Western Illinois had career performances from three separate players over the weekend.
    • On Friday, Jace Warkentien tied his career-high with eight innings pitched. The left-hander didn't allow a run until the eighth inning and didn't allow a hit for 20 consecutive batters.
    • On Saturday, Adam Juran set a new career-high with four RBIs, three of which came from a three-run home run for Juran's second home run of the season.
    • Dillon Sears also had a three-run shot for WIU on Sunday for his third career home run. Sears is now second on the team in multi-RBI games this season with four.
  • Derek Botaletto was another consistent bat in the Omaha series, going 4-11. Botaletto raised his average to .290 and bumped his on-base percentage to .360.
  • Nick Mitchell also had a great weekend at the plate, going 5-13 with a run scored and a walk. Mitchell extended his hitting streak to six games and his on-base streak to a team-leading 16 games.
  • WIU's pitching trio of Chandler Fochs, Kyle Rosenfeld, and Jack Bell combined for one of the top pitching outings of the season on Saturday. The three surrendered just one walk total and struck out 11 Maverick hitters. The 11 K's are tied as the second-most by Western Illinois this season.
  • Western Illinois faces Iowa for the first time since the 2019 season on Tuesday. WIU's last two outings against Iowa have both been close battles. WIU fell 8-7 at Iowa in 2019 and 5-4 at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium during the 2018 season. Western Illinois' last win against Iowa came in 2017. A three-hit, three-RBI game from Johnathan Fleek propelled the Leathernecks to a 7-5 victory at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium.
Scouting the Opponent | The Hawkeyes are coming off a huge series win in Big 10 play, defeating nationally eighth-ranked Rutgers in two of three games in New Jersey. The two wins over the weekend bumped Iowa to 10 games above .500 at 23-13 overall. Peyton Williams has been Iowa's biggest offensive threat on the season. In 34 games, Williams has a team-leading 49 total hits along with 14 doubles, nine home runs, and 30 RBIs. He's batting .374 on the season and owns a 1.199 OPS.
 
Probable Starters | Jacob Greenan versus Ben DeTaeye
 
On Deck | Western Illinois travels to Minnesota for the second time this season for a three-game series at St. Thomas. The Leathernecks will face off against the Tommies for the first time as conference foes from Friday (April 29) through Sunday (May 1).
 
Print Friendly Version

Related Videos

Now Playing:

Related Stories