MACOMB, IL – Western Illinois baseball continues its season by hitting the road to face the Iowa Hawkeyes before coming home to host the Saint Louis Billikens. The Leathernecks are 11-26 overall this season, 5-10 in conference play.

Who | Iowa | Saint Louis

When | April 21 | 6:00 PM | April 22 | 2:00 PM

Where | Duane Banks Field | Alfred D. Boyer Stadium

Last Time Out

In their previous game, the Western Illinois Leathernecks showed great form against the SIUE Cougars in the three-game series. The series began with the team losing 2-4 but they managed to fight back and won the next two games to clinch the series victory. The Western Illinois team managed to score 10 runs in one of their Saturday wins through excellent first inning play and great performance by Wandel Campana, recording a score of 10-1. The Western Illinois Leathernecks won the last game by a score of 7-1 with Liam Bushey accounting for all four RBIs in the game.

Scouting Iowa

After holding their own in the Big Ten and reloading their team, the Iowa Hawkeyes come into 2026 with a combination of veterans and fresh faces who are slated for bigger responsibilities. The Hawkeyes have proven that they can produce runs with an offense that can chain hits together and hit effectively in all situations. For the early part of the season, Iowa relies on their offense as they try to find their feet as a pitching staff following changes from last year's squad. With good command and limiting walks, the Hawkeyes can be a complete team that controls games against any opponent in the Big Ten.

Scouting Saint Louis

After consistently constructing themselves in the Atlantic 10 Conference, the Saint Louis Billikens come back with a team full of experienced players who take their time and play things cool on the field. Saint Louis has proven itself capable of getting hits without needing to score lots of runs in a particular inning. Instead, the Billikens can keep on putting pressure through disciplined at-bats against any pitcher. In addition, when it comes to pitchers themselves, Saint Louis usually gets a bunch of solid ones who know how to pitch well and make few errors.

Iowa vs WIU History

Western Illinois heads into its matchup with the Iowa Hawkeyes baseball knowing the history hasn't been in its favor, with Iowa leading the all-time series 80–29–2 over 111 games dating back to 1934. Iowa has controlled most eras of the matchup and has especially had the edge lately, including a sweep in 2024 with some big offensive games. That said, WIU has had its share of moments, particularly in the 60s and 70s with a few strong stretches and doubleheader sweeps, and they've still managed to sneak in some wins over the years. The Leathernecks picked up a solid 7–3 win in 2025, showing they can compete when things go right, but more often than not it's come down to Iowa putting up runs in a hurry. For WIU, keeping the game close and capitalizing on chances has been the formula when they've had success in this series.

Saint Louis vs WIU History

Western Illinois approaches their game against Saint Louis still seeking some stability in their rivalry, having experienced some decent wins and some hard losses in the past. WIU secured a narrow victory away from home by a score of 3-2 in March and won at home 9-5 in 2025. Saint Louis has been on top lately, particularly in 2024, when they managed to beat WIU twice, and they have always succeeded in containing WIU's offense. Western Illinois have proven that they are able to compete in this rivalry, having earned a 11-0 score.

OVC Key Stats

• Liam Bushey ranks sixth in the OVC with 44 RBIs.

• Joe Connolly is ranked fourth in the OVC for runs scored, recording 45.

• Bushey is ranked fifth in the OVC for home runs, with 11. 

FOLLOW THE LEATHERNECKS

For all the latest information on Leatherneck Baseball, please visit GoLeathernecks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Leathernecks on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.