Western Illinois University Leathernecks Men’s Baseball will continue its home stretch by hosting the Little Rock Trojans at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium, with games scheduled for April 3-5.
The matchup is significant as both teams compete in the Ohio Valley Conference, and the series provides an opportunity for Western Illinois to improve its standing. The Leathernecks currently hold a 7-20 overall record and are 2-4 in conference play.
Last weekend, Western Illinois experienced mixed results against Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO). The team started strong with a decisive 12-2 win, led by Liam Bushey’s two-run home run and Max Tripure’s pitching performance. However, SEMO won the next two games despite notable efforts from Joe Connolly, Bushey, Josh McClintock, Wandel Campana, Tyler Large, and Krayton Morse.
The Little Rock Trojans enter this season ranked fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll and have maintained a strong start with a 5-1 record in conference play. Their roster includes All-OVC returners Ryan Geck and Cooper Chaplain. Last year they captured the OVC Tournament title and earned an NCAA Regional berth.
Historically, Little Rock holds a 16-6 advantage over Western Illinois since their first meeting in 2003. However, Western Illinois has shown improvement recently by winning one game each of the last two series between these teams—including victories in Macomb in 2024 and on the road in 2025.
Several Leatherneck players have received recognition for their individual performances this season. Wandel Campana ranks third in batting average within the conference (.388), Liam Bushey is second for RBIs (37) and home runs (10), while Joe Connolly is fourth for runs scored (36). Nationally, Bushey ranks among NCAA leaders for home runs (36th) and RBIs (46th), while Campana stands at No.84 nationally for batting average.
Western Illinois University Leathernecks Men’s Baseball competes at the NCAA Division I level according to the official website. The program maintains membership in the Ohio Valley Conference according to its official website and operates from Macomb, Illinois according to its official website. As part of its tradition of fostering student-athlete development and community engagement according to its official website, it also boasts alumni who advanced to Major League Baseball—such as brothers Rick and Paul Reuschel from the late 1960s according to its official website.
The upcoming series offers both teams an important test as they look ahead toward postseason play.
