Northwestern University Athletics
Friday, May 8
Champaign, Ill.
6 p.m. CT
Northwestern
at
Illinois
Northwestern Visits Illinois in Final Regular Season Road Trip
5/7/2026 2:31:00 PM | Baseball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern visits Illinois for its penultimate regular season series this weekend in Champaign. Friday's game is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on B1G+, Saturday's contest is slated for 5:30 p.m. CT on BTN and Sunday's finale is set for 1 p.m. CT on B1G+.
Probable Pitchers
Friday, May 8: NU – LHP Ryan Weaver vs. Illinois – LHP Regan Hall
Saturday, May 9: NU – RHP Matt Kouser vs. Illinois – LHP Aidan Flinn
Sunday, May 10: NU – TBD vs. Illinois – TBD
Last time out, the Wildcats snapped Illinois State's eight-game win streak in a 7-1 victory. Northwestern pitching limited the Redbirds to four hits, marking its fifth game this season in which it held its opponent to four or fewer hits.
Northwestern ranks 20th nationally in fielding percentage (.980), after ranking in the top 25 in each of Sidney and Mildred LaPidus Family Head Coach Ben Greenspan's first two seasons in Evanston.
The Wildcats rank fifth in the Big Ten and 52nd nationally with 64 home runs on the season, tied for third-most in a single season in program history. Last season, the 'Cats mashed a program-record 73 long balls.
Northwestern is the only team in the Big Ten to have seven different players with six or more home runs in 2026.
OF Jack Lausch leads all Wildcats in batting average (.313), on-base percentage (.401), slugging percentage (.642), runs batted in (38), doubles (13), triples (3), home runs (13), total bases (113) and hits (55). Against the Hoosiers, Lausch slashed .400/.571/1.000 over three games, going 4-for-10 with two home runs, five RBI, six runs and four walks. Lausch has homered in each of NU's last three games.
INF Owen McElfatrick ranks second in program history with 34 career home runs, two shy of Eric Mogentale's program record 36 homers.
RHP Matt Kouser has turned in quality starts in three of his last four starts. Over that span, Kouser has posted a 4.30 earned-run average in 23.0 innings pitched.
Illinois (24-23, 10-14 Big Ten) enters the weekend in a three-way tie for ninth place in the Big Ten. LHP Regan Hall ranks fourth in the Big Ten with a 4.29 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
The Fighting Illini lead the all-time series 182-90-1. Last season in Evanston, the 'Cats took two of three meetings to win the series. NU is seeking its first series victory in Champaign since 2021.
The Wildcats will close out the regular season with a three-game series against Rutgers, beginning Thursday at Miller Park.
Probable Pitchers
Friday, May 8: NU – LHP Ryan Weaver vs. Illinois – LHP Regan Hall
Saturday, May 9: NU – RHP Matt Kouser vs. Illinois – LHP Aidan Flinn
Sunday, May 10: NU – TBD vs. Illinois – TBD
Fresh off a series win over Indiana last weekend, the Wildcats enter the weekend two games out of a Big Ten Tournament berth with six games remaining. After visiting Illinois, the Wildcats will close out the regular season with a three-game set against Rutgers at Miller Park.Rivalry Weekend on deck ?? pic.twitter.com/bjjlVwOfzt
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) May 7, 2026
Last time out, the Wildcats snapped Illinois State's eight-game win streak in a 7-1 victory. Northwestern pitching limited the Redbirds to four hits, marking its fifth game this season in which it held its opponent to four or fewer hits.
Northwestern ranks 20th nationally in fielding percentage (.980), after ranking in the top 25 in each of Sidney and Mildred LaPidus Family Head Coach Ben Greenspan's first two seasons in Evanston.
The Wildcats rank fifth in the Big Ten and 52nd nationally with 64 home runs on the season, tied for third-most in a single season in program history. Last season, the 'Cats mashed a program-record 73 long balls.
Northwestern is the only team in the Big Ten to have seven different players with six or more home runs in 2026.
OF Jack Lausch leads all Wildcats in batting average (.313), on-base percentage (.401), slugging percentage (.642), runs batted in (38), doubles (13), triples (3), home runs (13), total bases (113) and hits (55). Against the Hoosiers, Lausch slashed .400/.571/1.000 over three games, going 4-for-10 with two home runs, five RBI, six runs and four walks. Lausch has homered in each of NU's last three games.
INF Owen McElfatrick ranks second in program history with 34 career home runs, two shy of Eric Mogentale's program record 36 homers.
RHP Matt Kouser has turned in quality starts in three of his last four starts. Over that span, Kouser has posted a 4.30 earned-run average in 23.0 innings pitched.
Illinois (24-23, 10-14 Big Ten) enters the weekend in a three-way tie for ninth place in the Big Ten. LHP Regan Hall ranks fourth in the Big Ten with a 4.29 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
The Fighting Illini lead the all-time series 182-90-1. Last season in Evanston, the 'Cats took two of three meetings to win the series. NU is seeking its first series victory in Champaign since 2021.
The Wildcats will close out the regular season with a three-game series against Rutgers, beginning Thursday at Miller Park.
Players Mentioned
RHP
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OF
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INF
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LHP
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