Baseball Recap: Illini West's Win Ends Five-Game Losing Streak on the Road

Chargers

Previous 5 Games

05/02/25 @ Havana	5-1
05/01/25 @ Macomb	3-4
04/29/25 vs Mendon Unity	3-0
04/28/25 vs Monmouth United	5-3
04/26/25 vs Farmington	0-5

Illini West had lost five games on the road, but after bumping their record up to 18-8 on Friday that streak is in the rearview. They came out on top against the Havana Ducks by a score of 5-1. The Chargers have seen this before: they got the W the last time they saw the Ducks, too.

Illini West got a great performance from Tre Neiderman as he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over five innings pitched. Neiderman has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances.

At the plate, Stephen Sparks was excellent, going 2-for-3 with three RBI. That's the most RBI he has posted over his last 11 games.

As for Havana, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost four of their last five matches. That's put a noticeable dent in their 6-14 record this season. They just can't catch a break and have now endured three losses in a row.

On Havana's side, Landon Oatman spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered four earned (and one unearned) runs on five hits.

On the hitting side, Havana saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Kaden Olson, who went 1-for-3 with one run.

Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Illini West will venture away from home to square off against Pittsfield at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (the Chargers 3.2, the Saukees 3.9) so any runs scored will be well earned. As for Havana, they will head out on the road to challenge Astoria/VIT at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday.