The Illinois baseball team welcomes the Michigan Wolverines to town this weekend for a four-game series, beginning tonight at 6:05 at Illinois Field.

The Illini won 16-3 on Wednesday night against Robert Morris in a mid-week non-conference game, while the Wolverines had the week off. Illinois had 17 hits in its game, and its 16 runs tied the highest run total of the season.

Overall, Illinois (18-8-1) has won 11 of its last 14 games and at 7-1 is off to its best conference start in 15 years.

Michigan (18-10) was nationally ranked earlier in the year, but is only 1-7 in the Big Ten, having lost four straight to Minnesota and three of four to Iowa.

Despite the poor conference record, the Illini still expect quality play from the Wolverines.

“They’re good. I saw on Baseball America they’re still projected to be in the NCAA Tournament,” said sophomore designated hitter Mike Rohde, who homered twice and drove in four runs Wednesday.

“We can’t look past their record; we really just need to keep doing what we’re doing,” he said.

Illinois junior right-hander Brian Blomquist will get the start for Illinois this evening in the series opener. Blomquist is 6-1 with a 1.62 earned run average.

After Blomquist, head coach Itch Jones plans to start senior Jim Conroy and juniors Matt Whitmore and James Morris in the final three games of the series.

The Illini pitchers should expect to get good run support from their teammates, who are hitting a collective .340 while averaging 7.5 runs per game in Big Ten play.

“You can’t be deceived by Michigan’s record,” Jones said. “Michigan is a very good ball club that just got off to a slow start, and we just hope that we’re not the team that they suddenly turn everything around on.”

Free Admission

Tonight’s game is free admission for all fans and will feature a Bean Bag tournament and cookout sponsored by Illini Pride and the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. There will also be a $100 Gameday Giveaway and seventh-inning stretch fireworks.