MACOMB, IL – Western Illinois baseball continues its conference season and home stretch by hosting the Little Rock Trojans. The Leathernecks are 7-20 overall this season, 2-4 in conference play.

Who | Little Rock

When | April 3-5 | 2:00 PM, 1:00 PM, 1:00 PM

Where | Alfred D. Boyer Stadium

Last Time Out

The Western Illinois baseball team saw a rollercoaster weekend against SEMO in Macomb. The Leathernecks opened the series strong on Thursday, cruising to a 12-2 victory behind a two-run homer from Liam Bushey and a dominant performance from Max Tripure on the mound, with WIU racking up 14 hits. However, SEMO rebounded in the following games, handing WIU a 4-17 loss on Saturday despite early scoring from Joe Connolly and Liam Bushey and a seven-hit effort that included strong RBIs from Josh McClintock. Sunday's matchup turned into a high-scoring game, with the Leathernecks putting together a strong offense, highlighted by three runs from Connolly and contributions from Bushey, Wandel Campana, Tyler Large, and Krayton Morse, but ultimately fell 9-19 as SEMO capitalized on big innings down the stretch.

Scouting Little Rock

The Little Rock Trojans baseball team enters the 2025‑26 season ranked fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll, narrowly behind the favorites, and has lived up to that billing through the early portion of conference play with a 5‑1 OVC record and tied for fourth in the standings. After capturing the OVC Tournament title and earning an NCAA Regional berth last year, the Trojans return a mix of experienced talent and impactful newcomers, led by All‑OVC returners such as Ryan Geck and Cooper Chaplain. With balance on both sides of the ball and solid fundamentals, the Trojans are positioned to stay competitive in the conference race and push toward the OVC Tournament title.

Little Rock vs WIU History

Western Illinois and Little Rock have met 22 times since 2003, with the Trojans holding a 16-6 advantage. Despite the overall record, the Leathernecks have shown continued progress in recent years, highlighted by picking up a win in each of the last two series. WIU earned an 11-7 victory in 2024 in Macomb and followed it up with an 8-6 road win in 2025, marking a key step forward away from home. Historically, the Leathernecks have secured wins in multiple seasons, including early matchups in 2003, 2004, and 2005, along with a dominant 14-6 victory in 2010. While Little Rock took two of three games last season, Western Illinois has continued to close the gap, showing improved offensive production and competitiveness heading into the next matchup.

OVC Key Stats

• Wandel Campana ranks third in the OVC with a .388 batting average.

• Liam Bushey ranks second in the OVC with 37 RBIs.

• Joe Connolly is ranked fourth in the OVC for runs scored, recording 36.

• Bushey is ranked second in the OVC for home runs, with 10. 

National Recognition

• Liam Bushey is ranked 36th in the NCAA for total home runs, with 10.

• Bushey is also ranked 46th in the NCAA for RBIs, recording 37.

• Wandel Campana is ranked 84th in the NCAA for batting average, recording .388.

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