11-19 Purdue Boilermakers roll into town this weekend

  David Kerian and the rest of the Illini hope to gain some ground in the Big Ten this weekend Illinois has their chance to improve on their 2-4 Big Ten record this weekend as the Purdue Boilermakers come to town.  While the Illini’s 2-4 record is nothing to write home about, consider that they’ve [...]

Davis, Roark enjoying the sun and fun during Winter Ball

College days:  Lars Davis and Tanner Roark celebrate their win against Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament in 2007 Illini baseball fans might want to keep an eye on off-season pro league action this year.  There are a couple former Illini playing this year. In the Arizona Fall League, 2007 Big Ten Player of the [...]

Plenty of post-season action for former Illini

It looks like the Illini are representin’ in minor league playoff action in 2011. Joe Bonadonna (left, with the Illini) and the Greensboro Grasshoppers (Marlins Single-A) are seeing playoff action for the first time in 12 years.  They did in style too.  They won 13 of their last 15 games to win their South Atlantic [...]

Ex-hurlers getting the work done in the minors

A couple of former Illini pitchers are having some success for their respective minor leagues teams. Slammin’ Pack Chris Pack, who was instrumental in Illinois’ success in the 2011 season as a reliever, is showing that same effectiveness for the Joliet Slammers.  Thanks in part to Pack (left, pitching for the Illini against Indiana State), [...]

Roark advances to Double-A

Former Illini pitcher Tanner Roark is making his way up the ladder in the minors.  He was just promoted to Double-A and is now playing for the Frisco Roughriders in the Texas League. He made his debut last night and had a little trouble but nothing awful allowing a run in 2/3 inning in a [...]

Game on! Long time no see, Iowa!

It’s opening day for the Illini which means they’re someplace warm, in this case, Clearwater, Florida.  What’s different this year is that tonight, they are opening up against a Big Ten team, Iowa.  My guess?  They’re making up for lost time.  They didn’t play the Hawkeyes all last year. Lars Davis and Tanner Roark after [...]

Three Illini Signed

Some news regarding Illini draftees: It came out today that Illinois CF Kyle Hudson who went early, the fourth round, has reached a contract agreement with the Baltimore Orioles.  He plans to play for their Class A team in Aberdeen, MD by next week. Illini hurler Scott Shaw, drafted by the New York Mets in [...]

No Roark for Illini in 2008

Roark (right) will be sitting out 2008 Some bad news for the Illini baseball team. Tanner Roark, who led the team in wins last year, won’t be playing this spring because of “academic reasons”. Roark was integral in last year’s season for Illinois. He was a second team All Big Ten selection and led (or [...]

Davis, Webb, Roark, Roof get recognition from Big Ten

Four University of Illinois players were named to All-Big Ten teams on Tuesday, Lars Davis and Tanner Roark Catcher Lars Davis was named first-team All Big Ten. That was a no-brainer given that he was also Big Ten Player of the Year. I wrote a little about his accomplishments a couple days ago. It does [...]

Illini win the first against MSU: one more win to go for tourney berth

Tonight’s game against the Spartans of Michigan State had it all. You name it… an injury, questionable umpiring, sibling rivalry, a comeback by the Illini. What a game! Coach Hartleb passed by where I was twenty minutes before the game. I asked him, “Are you ready?” “I’m ready but that doesn’t matter.” Well, it looked [...]