Illinois Baseball Hitting Home Runs and Having Fun

Illinois baseball is on fire, hitting home runs and having a blast on the field. The team’s recent success has been nothing short of impressive, winning 11 of their last 12 games and averaging almost twice as many runs per game as last season.

Senior catcher Jacob Schroeder emphasized the importance of having fun while playing, stating, “Things are going well, we’re scoring a lot of runs and having fun. That’s all you can ask for on the field.” The team’s offensive prowess is evident, with a Big Ten high of 61 home runs, led by players like Drake Westcott, Ryan Moerman, and Schroeder himself.

Westcott, who is tied for first in the league with 12 home runs, highlighted the team’s collective effort, stating, “It’s not just been home runs, everybody’s been hitting up and down the lineup and obviously we’ve been putting up a ton of runs. It’s just important that we keep that going.”

The players attribute their recent success to a shift in mindset, focusing on enjoying the game and not taking themselves too seriously. This change has proven to be a gamechanger, propelling the team to victory after a slow start to the season.

Head coach Dan Hartleb commended his team’s improvement, stating, “I think the good teams are the teams that get better each and every day throughout the year and this team’s definitely gotten better.” With a three-game series against Northwestern on the horizon, Illinois looks to continue their winning streak and solidify their position as a force to be reckoned with in the Big Ten.

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