Series Preview: Illinois

Minnesota is set to welcome Illinois to town this weekend for a four-game series at US Bank Stadium.

The series begins on Friday with game one slated to start at 7:00 PM CT, followed up by a double-header on Saturday beginning at 5:00 PM CT. To end the weekend series, game four will start at 6:00 PM CT on Sunday.

PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS:

Game 1:

Minnesota - Sam Ireland, RHP

Illinois - Andrew Hoffman, RHP

Game 2:

Minnesota - JP Massey, RHP

Illinois - Riley Gowens, RHP

Game 3:

Minnesota - Tom Skoro, LHP

Illinois - Ty Rybarczyk, RHP

Game 4:

Minnesota - Jack Liffrig, LHP

Illinois - Cole Kirschsieper, LHP

Minnesota went 1-3 on opening weekend, dropping both games versus Indiana and splitting a two game series with Rutgers. The Gophers struggled at the plate with a .241 team batting average on the weekend, and things weren't much better on the mound equating to a 9.25 team ERA.

Conference rivals Minnesota and Illinois have matched up 217 times in program history, with the Gophers holding a slight edge in the series 112-104-1. Minnesota defeated the Illini 5-4 in their previous matchup in 2019, despite losing the three-game series.

Pre-season second team All American second baseman Zack Raabe will look to keep his hot bat going with a .444/.500/1.556 slash line heading into the weekend. His one homerun per game pace is currently third in the nation.

Illinois comes into the series also at 1-3 on the young season after dropping their opening series to Big Ten foe Ohio State. The Illini enter this weekend with a .271 team batting average and a 5.21 collective ERA.

All four games of the weekend series can be seen on Big Ten Network Plus.