Luke Costello Pitching Against North Park on April 2, 2023

Kodiak Creative

Baseball to Host Illinois College and Knox in Midweek Matchups

Home games scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday

4/10/2023 8:00:00 AM

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - With a five-game week on the horizon for the Illinois Wesleyan University baseball team, the Titans will begin the busy week by hosting Illinois College and Knox College, Tuesday and Wednesday, April 11-12, at Horenberger Field. Tuesday's matchup is set for 5 p.m., while Wednesday's contest will begin at 6:30 p.m. Entering the two game slate, the Green and White own an overall record of 7-15. Members of the Midwest Conference, the Blueboys carry a record of 8-16, while the Prairie Fire sit at 6-14.

Illinois Wesleyan last took to the diamond Saturday, April 8, in a College Conference of Illinois Wesleyan showdown against rival Millikin University. With the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the ninth, the Titans could not muster a comeback as the Big Blue defeated IWU by a final score of 6-4.

The Blueboys last traveled to the Windy City for a three-game slate against the University of Chicago, Friday-Saturday, April 7-8. After dropping the first two by scores of 4-1 and 10-3, IC avoided the sweep by taking down the Maroons, 6-4, in 10 innings. Knox, having had this past weekend off, also last competed against Chicago, Wednesday, April 5. The Maroons swept both ends of the doubleheader with final tallies of 16-4 and 18-8. Chicago's offense exploded for a combined 36 hits against Knox in the two games.

Tuesday's contest will mark the 17th all-time meeting between the Titans and Blueboys. IWU owns the convincing, 13-3, all-time series advantage dating back to 1997. In the previous 10 meetings, the Green and White own a record of 7-3. The two programs last met March 6, 2020 in Auburndale, Fla. In that game, after being down 7-6 in the eighth, IWU scored one in the eighth and four in the ninth to complete the comeback by a final of 11-8.

On the flip side, the Titans and Prairie Fire have only met seven times, with IWU having the 5-2 all-time series advantage, dating back to 1991. The two most recently met March 29 of last year in Galesburg, Ill. The game saw IWU upend KC by a final score of 23-4, as the Green and White tallied 17 hits and took advantage of the Prairie Fire's seven miscues.

Sophomore Dalen Banks (Springfield, Ill.-Springfield) leads all IWU pitchers in every statistical category. Banks has compiled a 5-0 record, 2.05 ERA, and a 1.18 WHIP. Additionally, Springfield, Ill. native has fanned 42 hitters and is holding opponents to a .230 batting average.

In all of Division III, as of April 8, Banks is tied for 24th with his five victories.

With 22 games already in the books, junior Louis Perona (Chicago, Ill.-Lane Tech) owns an impressive .457 batting average to go along with a team-best 1.178 OPS and .642 slugging percentage. Perona also leads the team in runs (24), hits (37), RBI (23), total bases (52), walks (14), and stolen bases (21).

As of April 8, Perona ranks eighth in all of Division III with 21 stolen bases, and sits in 11th with his 0.95 stolen bases per game average.

Senior Jalen Ping (Chatham, Ill.-Glenwood) sits second on the team with his .389 batting average, .997 OPS, 23 runs, 35 hits, and 51 total bases. Ping tops the program with his 90 plate appearances, 10 doubles, and is tied for the team lead in three-baggers (3).

Senior Thomas Bleker (Lombard, Ill.-Glenbard West), junior Evan Hutson (Normal, Ill.-Normal West), and senior Ethan Burgh (Arlington Heights, Ill.-Prospect) each have batting averages over .300, with .364, .358, and .304 clips, respectively.

On the year, Perona, Ping, and sophomore Jimmy Gurgone (Mokena, Ill.-St. Laurence) are the only three Titans who have started all 22 games.

Live stats and a live video will be available for both games. Live stats can be found here, while the live video stream can be accessed here.

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