| Probable Starting Pitchers |
| Day |
Illinois |
Maryland |
| Fri., 6 p.m. CT |
RHP Ty Weber (2-5, 4.34) |
RHP Brian Shaffer (5-2, 1.73) |
| Sat., 3 p.m. CT |
RHP Cyrillo Watson (1-4, 6.35) |
LHP Tyler Blohm (8-3, 2.53) |
| Sun., 12 p.m. CT |
RHP Matthew James (1-1, 5.35) |
RHP Taylor Bloom (5-2, 3.97) |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The Illinois baseball team returns home this weekend to face No. 24 Maryland in a three-game series Friday-Sunday. The Illini are riding a three-game winning streak which helped them finish an eight-game road swing 4-4.
Illinois (19-23, 5-10 Big Ten) is 13-7 in its last 20 games after a 6-16 start to the season. The young team has won two of its last three Big Ten series, including a doubleheader sweep at Minnesota last Saturday. Illinois' three-game winning streak is currently second-best in the conference behind Purdue's seven-game run.
The Illini are still on the outside looking in at Big Ten Tournament qualification. Michigan State holds the eighth and final qualifying spot at 7-8 in the conference, two games ahead of Illinois with nine games left.
Maryland (30-13, 13-5 Big Ten) had won seven straight games before dropping a series 1-2 at Indiana last weekend. The Terrapins remain in first place of the Big Ten with 13 conference wins, four more than five teams with nine.
Maryland's pitching staff has led the team to 30 wins, as all three in the weekend rotation have 11+ starts and ERAs under 4.00. Ace Brian Shaffer is a Big Ten Pitcher of the Year candidate with a 5-2 record, 1.73 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 73 innings.
PROMOTIONS
All of Friday's promotions - Lou Boudreau Day, the Bleacher Bum BBQ and fireworks - have been postponed due to expected rain. Click here for more details.
Saturday is Hail to the Orange Day with free shirts for the first 300 fans and Sunday is Honor and Serve Day with special camo uniforms that will be auctioned for charity during the game.
NOTES
• Illinois is 3-3 all-time against Maryland, including a series win on the road last year.
• Illinois is 2-2 against Maryland since the Terrapins entered the Big Ten Conference.
• Illinois has won three games in a row. The Illini are 13-7 in its last 20 after starting the season 6-16.
• Illinois went 11-7 in April after going 2-5 in February and 5-11 in March.
• Illinois has won two of its last three Big Ten series - vs. Northwestern and at Purdue - but was swept at Purdue between series wins.
• Illinois scored 17 runs of the span of four innings to sweep the Gophers in a Saturday doubleheader last weekend. Jack Yalowitz hit a game winning grand slam in the ninth inning of Game 1 and went 5-11 with two homers and seven RBIs on the day.
• 10 of the Illini's last 13 wins have been decided by three or fewer runs and nine of 13 have been decided by two or fewer.
• Illinois has won nine of its last 12 two-run games. The Illini are 11-11 in games decided by two or fewer runs.
• Michael Massey became the fifth Big Ten player since 2011 to win back-to-back Big Ten player of the week awards after going 10-19 last week with three three-hit games.
• 324 2/3 of Illinois' 369 2/3 innings pitched have been by freshmen or sophomores (87.8%).
• 267 of Illinois' 376 hits have been by freshmen or sophomores (71.0%). True freshmen have 90 hits, all by Michael Massey and Ben Troike.
• Massey is on a career-best 14-game hitting streak. He is hitting .443 (27-61) with four doubles, two homers and 13 RBIs during the streak and also has six three-hit games and one two-hit game.
UP NEXT
The Illini have two conference series remaining after this weekend. Illinois travels to Rutgers next weekend before a three-game series against Iowa ends the season at Illinois Field.
