Kieser, Weller, and Hudik smile as they run off the field

Donny Cortez

Baseball Treks to Augie for Double Dip

Titans travel for final roadtrip

4/23/2026 12:00:00 PM

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University baseball team ventures to Rock Island, Ill. Saturday, April 25, for its final roadtrip of the year, and an important College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin doubleheader with Augustana College. The Titans are winners of six of their last seven games to bring a 14-18 overall mark and an 8-6 stamp in league play. Augustana sits a spot behind IWU in fourth place with its 22-11 record and 8-7 in conference contests. First pitch from Swanson Stadium will be thrown at 12 p.m.

The Green and White begin an eight day stretch of six conference games, including a midweek with Wheaton College, before capping off the regular season with North Park on Senior Day. The Illinois Wesleyan offense is led by leadoff man sophomore Matt Hudik (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East) with a .362 batting average. Hudik's 30 runs paces the team, and his 47 hits sits second behind classmate AJ Weller (Geneseo, Ill.-Geneseo) with 49. The crafty lefty has worked in eight sacrifice bunts, which leads the conference, and is just outside the top-10 nationally at 11th. Weller's hit for a .360 average and 16 extra base hits to share the lead. The team's RBI leader with 37 is junior John Philip Ferraro (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest). The power lefty is the lone Titan with 30+ runs batted in and has eight more than the next closest.

The pitching staff for IWU is spearheaded by senior Cole Shamhart (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest). The righty leads the rotation with six starts in nine appearances, and has won three games to share the lead with sophomore Brennan Tomhave (Pittsfield, Ill.-Pittsfield). Shamhart's 36.1 innings pitched top the category, and is the only pitcher with 30+ punchouts with 31 on the season. Freshman Brayden Elliott's (Gibson City, Ill.-Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley) stability out of the bullpen has placed him in the closer role. The flame-thrower has saved five games, good for second in the CCIW, and 23rd nationally.

Before its date with IWU, Augie travels to Knox College for a fling with the Prairie Fire Thursday, April 23. AC brings its league leading offense into the game with a .332 team batting average. It also leads the CCIW with 417 hits, 134 extra base hits, and 321 RBI's.

The Titans and Vikings have battled 140 times dating back to 1988 with IWU holding a 10-win advantage at 75-65. Illinois Wesleyan has pulled out four of the past five matchups, sweeping the Vikings in 2024 and snagging two-of-three a year ago. After splitting a double the day prior, IWU won the rubber match, April 13, 11-8, sparked by six runs in the fifth. In the series, the Green and White has scored 800 runs with a 5.71 average. The Titans hold winning records on the road and at home. In Rock Island, IWU owns a 29-37 advantage.

IWU and Augie begin the double feature at 12 p.m., with game two to follow at Swanson Stadium. The Vikings will provide a live stream here, along with live stats here.

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