Indiana Baseball Carries Big Ten Lead Into Weekend Series at Illinois

Indiana baseball looks to continue its winning ways this weekend with a road trip to Illinois. Coach Jeff Mercer's Hoosiers sit atop Big Ten at 23-10 overall and 7-2 in conference play.

Indiana has been dominant on its home field this season, but the Hoosiers will have to carry that momentum on the road this weekend in order to stay atop the Big Ten standings. 

Coach Jeff Mercer's Hoosiers hold a 23-10 record overall, with a 7-2 mark in Big Ten play. Indiana boasts an 18-1 record at Bart Kaufman Field, but that figure drops to 4-8 away from home. The Hoosiers pulled out two dramatic wins to secure a series victory against Iowa last weekend, followed by a 16-13 slugfest win over Ball State on Tuesday. 

Shortstop and leadoff man Phillip Glasser has set the table well for Indiana all season, leading the team with a .374 batting average. A pair of young sluggers, freshman right fielder Devin Taylor and sophomore first baseman Brock Tibbitts, lead the Hoosiers with five home runs apiece. On the mound, Luke Sinnard has been a workhorse for Indiana, striking out 61 batters in 44 innings. He'll toe the rubber on Saturday.

In the opposing dugout, Illinois has gone 4-8 since Big Ten play began, including series losses to Nebraska, Michigan and Northwestern. Despite its ninth-place standing in the Big Ten, Illinois ranks third in the conference in home runs, led by eight from Drake Westcott.

Pitching has been an issue for Illinois all season. The Illini have a 5.94 team ERA, which ranks 12th in the Big Ten and only ahead of Northwestern's 9.14 team ERA. Freshman Jake Swartz propelled Illinois to a win over Northwestern last weekend, holding the Wildcats to one run in 5.1 innings. He'll face Sinnard on Saturday.

Here's everything you need to get ready for this weekend's series between Indiana and Illinois, including first pitch times, TV information, hitting and pitching stats for both teams and Indiana's season-long schedule.

Full weekend schedule

• Friday: 8 p.m. ET on BTN
• Saturday (doubleheader): 
• Game one: 2 p.m. ET BTN-plus
• Game two: 6 p.m. ET on BTN

Probable pitchers

• Friday: Indiana RHP Seti Manase (2-1, 1.52 ERA) vs. Illinois RHP Riley Gowens (1-2, 5.93 ERA)
• Saturday: 
• Game one: Indiana RHP Luke Sinnard (3-1, 3.68 ERA) vs. Illinois RHP Jake Swartz (1-1, 4.29 ERA)
• Game two: TBA vs. Illinois RHP Jack Wenninger (4-2, 4.17 ERA)

Indiana hitting stats

Indiana's hitting statistics entering weekend series at Illinois.

Indiana pitching stats

Indiana's pitching statistics entering weekend series at Illinois.

Illinois hitting stats

Illinois' hitting statistics entering weekend series against Indiana.

Illinois pitching stats

Illinois pitching statistics entering weekend series against Indiana.

Big Ten standings

1. Indiana (23-10, 7-2)
2. Michigan State (20-10, 6-3)
3. Michigan (18-14, 6-3)
4. Nebraska (18-11-1, 4-2)
5. Maryland (19-13, 4-2)
6. Purdue (14-17, 5-4)
7. Minnesota (9-22, 3-3)
8. Northwestern (5-22, 3-3)
9. Illinois (15-14, 3-6)
10. Iowa (23-8, 2-4)
11. Rutgers (18-15, 2-4)
12. Ohio State (17-15, 2-7)
13. Penn State (18-11, 1-5)

Indiana's full schedule

• L, 8-4: at Auburn, Feb. 17
• L, 6-1: at Auburn, Feb. 18
• W, 11-2: at Auburn, Feb. 19
• W, 13-5: vs. Miami (OH), Feb. 21
• L, 4-2: at Texas, Feb. 24
• L, 5-2: at Texas, Feb. 25
• W, 4-2: at Texas, Feb. 26
• W, 13-2: vs. Butler, Feb. 28
• L, 17-4: at East Carolina, March 3
• W, 4-3: vs. Georgetown in Greenville, N.C, March 4
• L, 10-4: vs. Long Beach State in Greenville, N.C. March 5
• W, 15-1: vs. Purdue Fort Wayne, March 8
• W, 5-3: vs. Bellarmine, March 9
• W, 9-7: vs. Bellarmine, March 10
• W, 13-3: vs. Bellarmine, March 11
• W, 3-2: vs. Bellarmine, March 12
• L, 12-2: at Kentucky, March 14
• W, 6-5: vs. Morehead State, March 15
• W, 23-5: vs. Morehead State, March 16
• W, 5-4: vs. Morehead State, March 17
• W, 15-5: vs. Indiana State, March 21
• W, 14-6: vs. Ohio State, March 25
• W, 9-6: vs. Ohio State, March 26
• W, 7-5: vs. Ohio State, March 26
• W, 4-3: vs. Kent State, March 28
• L, 7-2: at Penn State, April 1
• W, 4-1: at Penn State, April 2
• W, 22-11: at Penn State, April 2
• L, 4-0: at Indiana State, April 4
• L, 7-1: vs. Iowa, April 7
• W, 2-0 (10 innings): vs. Iowa, April 8
• W, 4-2: vs. Iowa, April 9
• W, 16-13: vs. Ball State, April 11
• April 14, 8 p.m. ET at Illinois, Illinois Field, BTN
• April 15, 6 p.m. ET at Illinois, Illinois Field, BTN-plus
• April 16, 2 p.m. ET at Illinois, Illinois Field, BTN-plus
• April 18, 6 p.m. ET vs. Illinois, Bart Kaufman Field, ESPNU
• April 19, 6 p.m. ET at Cincinnati, UC Baseball Stadium, ESPN-plus
• April 21, 6 p.m. ET vs. Ohio, Bart Kaufman Field, BTN-plus
• April 22, 1 p.m. ET vs. Ohio, Bart Kaufman Field, BTN-plus
• April 23, Noon ET vs. Ohio, Bart Kaufman Field, BTN-plus
• April 25, 3 p.m. ET at Ball State, Ball Diamond at First Merchants Ballpark Complex
• April 28, 6 p.m. ET vs. Maryland, Bart Kaufman Field, BTN-plus
• April 29, 1 p.m. ET vs. Maryland, Bart Kaufman Field, BTN-plus
• April 30, Noon ET vs. Maryland, Bart Kaufman Field, BTN-plus
• May 5, 4 p.m. ET at Northwestern, Rocky and Bernice Miller Park, BTN-plus
• May 6, 2 p.m. ET at Northwestern, Rocky and Bernice Miller Park, BTN-plus
• May 7, 2 p.m. ET at Northwestern, Rocky and Bernice Miller Park, BTN-plus
• May 9, 6 p.m. ET vs. Southern Indiana, Bart Kaufman Field, BTN-plus
• May 12, 6 p.m. ET vs. Purdue, Bart Kaufman Field, BTN-plus
• May 13, 1 p.m. ET vs. Purdue, Bart Kaufman Field, BTN-plus
• May 14, Noon ET vs. Purdue, Bart Kaufman Field, BTN-plus
• May 16, 6 p.m. ET vs. Evansville, Bart Kaufman Field, BTN
• May 18, 6 p.m. ET at Michigan State, McLane Baseball Stadium at Kobs Field, BTN-plus
• May 19, 6 p.m. ET at Michigan State, McLane Baseball Stadium at Kobs Field, BTN-plus
• May 20, 1 p.m. ET at Michigan State, McLane Baseball Stadium at Kobs Field, BTN-plus
• May 24-28, Big Ten Tournament at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb., BTN/BTN-plus