Jalen Ping, Aiden Smith, and Evan Hutson during National Anthem on March 27, 2023

Carson Schaefer

Baseball Set for Division I Showdown with Eastern Illinois

Game to be streamed on ESPN+

3/28/2023 11:00:00 AM

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Fresh off of the program's home opener, the Illinois Wesleyan University baseball team will make the quick, 104 mile trip for a unique experience against Division I Eastern Illinois University, Wednesday, March 29. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Coaches Stadium in Charleston. Entering the contest, the Titans own an overall record of 4-11. EIU, a member of the Ohio Valley Conference, is set to tangle with Bradley University later tonight, and currently owns a record of 13-6.

The Titans and Panthers have met on the diamond a total of five times, with EIU holding the slim, 3-2, all-time series advantage. The two teams most recently met last season, April 27, in Bloomington that saw EIU walk away with the 7-4 victory.

The Green and White most recently wrapped up a three-game slate with Wabash College, March 26-27. The Little Giants claimed the three-game series sweep by earning three come from behind victories.

On the flip side, EIU is also coming off a three-game series, March 25-26, with University of Tennessee at Martin. The Panthers dropped the series, 2-1, but tallied 19 runs over the weekend series.

No stranger to Illinois Wesleyan, four-year letterwinner Dominic DiLello is currently using his fifth-year of eligibility at Eastern Illinois. While sporting the Titan uniform from 2019-2022, DiLello accumulated a .339 batting average in 100 games played. Additionally, DiLello totaled 342 at-bats, 116 hits, 80 runs scored, 65 RBI, 21 doubles, six home runs, and four three-baggers in his IWU career. After the 2022 campaign, DiLello was named to the Second Team All-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. DiLello has appeared in nine games thus far for the Panthers, recording one hit and one RBI against Arkansas Pine Bluff.

In the team's 15 games this season, a pair of Titans are currently hitting above .425 for the year. Senior Jalen Ping (Chatham, Ill.-Glenwood) tops the offense with his .450 batting average. In terms of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin leaderboard, Ping currently owns the fourth-highest clip in the league.

The Chatham, Ill. native leads IWU in OPS (1.168), at-bats (60), hits (27), doubles (eight), total bases (41), and slugging percentage (.683). In CCIW ranks, Ping holds the second-most doubles (eight), along with the fourth-most triples (three).

Junior Louis Perona (Chicago, Ill.-Lane Tech) is also having a sensational season at the plate, manufacturing a .429 batting average. Perona tops the team in runs scored (17), stolen bases (16), RBI (15), and walks (eight). In addition to his presence at the place, the Chicago, Ill. native is also wreaking havoc on the basepaths with his CCIW leading 16 stolen bases on the year.

In the CCIW overall statistics, the IWU offense ranks second in the league with a .320 batting average, just .008 points behind the league-leaders, Wheaton College. The Green and White top the league in triples (11), and are tied for second in hits (170).

On the mound, sophomore Dalen Banks (Springfield, Ill.-Springfield) leads the pitching staff in every statistical category. The Springfield, Ill. native has a 2.17 ERA in 29 innings pitched. The righty has fanned 27 hitters to go along with a .239 opponent batting average. Banks has notched five starts this season, all of which have been at least five innings, with four starts being six innings.

Live stats for the game can be found here. The game is going to be streamed live on ESPN+, and the link can be found on the IWU baseball schedule.

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