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Rachael Keating

Baseball Hosts Longtime Rival Illinois State

| By: WIU Athletic Communications

Wednesday’s matchup will serve as the 167th meeting of all time.

Who | Western Illinois (3-21) versus Illinois State (10-11)
 
When | Wednesday (April 6) at 3 p.m. CT 
 
Where | Alfred D. Boyer Stadium
 
Listen | 88.3 the Dog (PBP: Kyleigh Rodgers | Color: Avery Thompson)
 
Social Media | Twitter + Facebook #TRADITIONofTOUGH
 
Western Illinois baseball welcomes its longtime rival to Alfred D. Boyer Stadium on Wednesday (April 6) for a single game contest versus the Illinois State Redbirds.
 
Headlines
  • Western Illinois competed in its second conference series of the season this past weekend against the North Dakota State Bison. NDSU took the first two contests, but WIU took the finale 6-2. The win was the first Summit League victory of the season for the Leathernecks.
  • After an outstanding three games versus North Dakota State, freshman Nick Mitchell earned the first Summit League Player of the Week honor for Western Illinois. Mitchell opened up the series with a three-hit outing, scoring three runs and stealing a base. The three-hit performance is the third three-hit game for him this season. On Saturday, Mitchell hit a huge two-run double in the bottom of the fourth that put Western Illinois up 4-1. He concluded the series with a pair of hits, two more RBIs, a run scored, and a stolen base in WIU's 6-2 win. Mitchell ended the series batting 6-15 with a double, four RBIs, four runs scored, and two stolen bases.
  • Kory Olsen missed the series finale on Sunday versus the Bison but was a major offensive weapon in games one and two. Olsen finished each game with three hits and hit his first home run as a Leatherneck in the series opener.
  • Getting on-base continues to be no issue for a trio of Leathernecks. Dillon Sears and Kory Olsen have reached safely in 13 consecutive games, and Toby Allred has reached base in 10 straight games. Olsen and Allred both rank in the top-10 in the Summit League in on-base percentage.
  • Brian Raymond, Caden Kratz, Bryan Rumping, and Jack Carberry combined for the best pitching outing of the season for Western Illinois in Sunday's 6-2 victory. The Leathernecks allowed a season-low two runs, zero earned runs, and just three hits to North Dakota State. Kratz earned his first win as a Leathernecks, and Carberry earned his second career save.
  • Jace Warkentien pitched a gem on Saturday for Western Illinois with one of the best outings of his career. The fifth-year senior pitched six innings, allowed two runs, four hits, and struck out 10. Warkentin's 10 K's matches his career-high, and it's the third time he has achieved that mark in a game, all of which have come versus North Dakota State.
  • Western Illinois and Illinois State continue their long history with the 167th all-time meeting on Wednesday. The series dates back to 1925. WIU is 76-89-1 all-time versus the Redbirds. Western Illinois fell in last year's contest 2-1 in 10 innings in Normal.
  • Western Illinois will look for its first win against Illinois State since April 2017.
Scouting the Opponent | Illinois State currently has a record of 10-11 but will be playing at home on Tuesday (April 5) versus the University of Illinois. The Redbirds started the season on a great note, defeating #2 Arkansas 3-2 in their 2022 season opener. The Redbirds also defeated 19th ranked Purdue at home 4-3. Illinois State is coming off its first conference series, where they dropped two of three to Indiana State. Jake McCaw has been Illinois State's biggest offensive weapon, batting .356 with six home runs, 24 RBIs, and a 1.025 OPS.
 
Probable Starters | WIU: Jacob Greenan | Illinois State: TBD
 
On Deck | Western Illinois heads back on the road for a three-game series from Friday (April 8) through Sunday (April 10) in Brookings, S.D., against South Dakota State.
 
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