Baseball Game Preview: Illini West Chargers vs. Rockridge Rockets

Chargers

Runs

04/14/25 vs Astoria/VIT	10
04/12/25 vs Bishop McNamara	6
04/12/25 @ Pleasant Plains	3
04/10/25 vs Camp Point Central	15
04/08/25 vs Quincy	8
+ 9 more games

The Illini West Chargers will head out on the road to challenge the Rockridge Rockets at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Illini West is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9.5 runs per game this season.

Illini West took a loss when they played away from home on Saturday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Monday. They never let Astoria/VIT get on the board and left with a 10-0 win. The victory continues a trend for the Chargers in their matchups with the Rebels: they've now won six in a row.

Jaydyn Combites tossed a big game, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit while striking out eight over five innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, Nick Johnson and Wesley Robertson did most of the damage at the plate: Johnson went 3-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and one stolen base, while Robertson went 2-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base. That's the most hits Johnson has posted since back in May of 2024. Shawn Watkins Jr. also deserves some recognition as he scored his first run of the season.

Illini West always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .552. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Astoria/VIT only posted an OBP of .176.

Meanwhile, Rockridge was not able to break out of their rough patch on Monday as the team picked up their fifth straight defeat. They were a single run away from ending the streak, but they lost an 8-7 heartbreaker at the hands of Mercer County.

Illini West's win was their 14th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 12-2. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.5 runs on average this season. As for Rockridge, their loss dropped their record down to 5-8.

Everything went Illini West's way against Rockridge in their previous matchup back in May of 2024, as Illini West made off with an 11-2 win. Do the Chargers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Rockets turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.