Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Baseball Opens Season With Three-Game Series At Louisiana Monroe
02/14/2002 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
Feb. 14, 2002
Carbondale, Ill. - Southern Illinois University opens its 2002 baseball season with a three-game road series against the University of Louisiana-Monroe (1-0) on Friday at 6:30 p.m. in Monroe, Louisiana.
"We don't know much about them but we're excited to play after all the practice. Louisiana-Monroe will be tough but we're ready to go," head baseball coach Dan Callahan said.
"I think we're pretty good and we've practiced more outside than in any year I've been here and I feel good about that. There's some apprehension because we don't know ULM well but that won't change our approach to the weekend."
The Salukis will start the season with 17 new faces and seven road games to open the season but Callahan expects things to work themselves out.
"We know who will start the game for us but we'll find out who closes and how the relief pitchers line up on this trip. We will take four or five freshmen and they will pitch for us. We also will be looking at a couple different shortstops and designated hitters possibly," added Callahan.
The Salukis will have Jake Alley and Luke Nelson back on the mound after each couldn't pitch in 2001. Alley, who pitched 101.1 innings with a 3.73 ERA, 94 strikeouts and three complete games in 2000, returns from academic ineligibility. Nelson, who went 5-1 with a 3.27 ERA, five saves and 22 strikeouts in 22 innings in 2000, was second-team all-MVC as a utility man and has recovered from 2000 arm surgery.
SIU also returns some mounds experience from 2001. Senior Jason Westemeir (0-1, 11.20 ERA, 27.1 inns., 20K), junior Ryan Aird (2-5, 6.92 ERA, 40.1 inns., 31 K) and sophomores Jerel Deitering (1-5, 5.43 ERA, 59.2 inns., 35 K), Josh Joiner (0-1, 6.17 ERA, 23.1 inns., 12 K) and Bill Clayton (2-5, 10.07 ERA, 42 inns., 34 K) will be back. The group started 25 of 55 games and pitched 192.2 of 467.1 innings in 2001.
At the plate Callahan will count on 2001 all-MVC Honorable Mention outfielder Justin Maurath (.316 BA, 30 RBI, 10 2B, .493 Slugging Percentage), 3B/P-Luke Nelson (.307 BA, 9 2B, 29 RBI, 13-15 SB) and C-Scott Hankey (.290 BA, 8 2B, 32 RBI). Maurath will miss the Louisiana-Monroe series due to a hand injury.
Louisiana-Monroe opened with a 7-2 win over Centenary (La.) College and finished 36-24 and second in the Southland Conference last year with a 17-10 record. ULM is led by All-Southland Conference preseason outfield selection Jamie Estrada (.321 BA, 41 RBI, 19-23 SB in 2001). 3B-Ted White (336 BA, 10 HR, 43 RBI, 26 2B, 19 SB in 2000), 2B-Jack Skaggs (.330 BA, 17 RBI in 2001) and DH-Jason Lind (.328 BA, 4 HR, 25 RBI) also lead the Indians at the plate.
Pitchers Aaron Dobbins (8-2, 3.43 ERA, 77 K, 22 BB), Michael Durham (7-3, 3.34 ERA, 50 K, 10 Saves in 2000), Caleb McConnell (5-2, 6.34 ERA, 46 K, 24 BB in 2000) and Jason Lind (6-5, 3.93 ERA, 75 K, 25 BB) lead the ULM staff.
SIU finished 19-36 and 10-21 in the MVC in 2001. The Salukis were picked to finish eighth in the 2002 MVC Coaches Preseason Poll.
The Salukis will face the Indians on Friday (6:30 p.m.), Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.) in single games at Indian Field in Monroe, Louisiana.
