The Illinois Wesleyan University baseball team will travel to Rock Island on April 25 for a doubleheader against Augustana College, marking its final road trip of the season. The Titans have won six of their last seven games and currently hold a 14-18 overall record, with an 8-6 standing in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play. Augustana follows closely behind with a 22-11 record and an 8-7 mark in conference contests.
This matchup is significant as both teams are competing for position in the conference standings during the closing stretch of the regular season. First pitch at Swanson Stadium is scheduled for noon.
Illinois Wesleyan’s offense is led by sophomore Matt Hudik, who has posted a .362 batting average and leads the team with 30 runs scored. Hudik’s total of eight sacrifice bunts leads the conference and ranks him just outside the national top ten at eleventh place. Classmate AJ Weller holds a .360 average with a team-high 49 hits, while junior John Philip Ferraro leads in runs batted in with 37.
On the mound, senior Cole Shamhart heads IWU’s rotation with six starts over nine appearances and shares three wins with sophomore Brennan Tomhave. Shamhart also leads in innings pitched (36.1) and strikeouts (31). Freshman Brayden Elliott has secured five saves out of the bullpen, placing him second among closers in the conference.
Augustana brings what is described as a league-leading offense into Thursday’s game against Knox College before facing IWU Saturday. The Vikings have compiled a .332 team batting average along with leading totals in hits (417), extra base hits (134), and RBIs (321).
Historically, Illinois Wesleyan holds an advantage over Augustana, winning four out of their last five meetings including sweeping them last year. The two teams have played each other since 1988, with IWU leading overall by ten wins.
