SIUE baseball (19-16) faces Illinois (18-16) at Illinois Field on April 14. This marks the Cougars' first two-midweek schedule of the season, with another matchup against Saint Louis the following day. SIUE's impressive start in OVC play at 8-0 is the best in program history, previously set at 6-0 in 2015. Illinois currently leads the all-time series against SIUE 7-1, including a six-game winning streak against them.

By the Numbers
  • SIUE has 56 home runs this season, leading the OVC and ranking 23rd in the NCAA.
  • Ryan Niedzwiedz has hit 14 home runs, leading the league and ranking 15th nationally.
Yes, But

Though SIUE has seen early success, maintaining momentum against strong teams like Illinois will be essential, especially with Illinois' recent winning streak in their matchups.

State of Play
  • SIUE is second in the OVC for slugging percentage (.501) and 32nd nationally.
  • Niedzwiedz's slugging percentage is .721, placing him second in the OVC and 39th nationally.
What's Next

The Cougars will seek to build on their conference lead while looking to break their losing streak against Illinois, moving forward into a competitive stretch of games.

Bottom Line

For SIUE to capitalize on its strong start, consistency in performance and overcoming in-state rivals like Illinois is crucial for the remainder of the season.