Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Salukis Open Home Baseball Season With MacMurray Today
03/05/2002 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
March 5, 2002
Carbondale, Ill. -
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SIU (4-2) vs MacMurray (0-0), @ Tenn.-Martin (2-5), vs E. Mich. (3-5)
Mar. 5 vs MacMurray College - 2 p.m. -- Jake Alley (1-0) vs Pat Tueth (0-0)
Mar. 6 @ Tenn.-Martin - 2 p.m. - Jerel Deitering (2-0) vs Donnie Corey (0-0)
Mar. 8 vs E. Michigan - 2 p.m. - Jake Alley (1-0) vs Joe Linde (1-1)
Mar. 9 vs E. Michigan - 1 p.m. - Jerel Deitering (2-0) vs Tom Gallus (0-1)
Mar. 10 vs E. Michigan - 12 p.m. - Luke Nelson (1-0) vs Anthony Tomey (1-1)
The Series: SIU is 8-0 vs MacMurray College. The Salukis are 12-2 against Tennessee-martin including two wins in three games last year. Southern Illinois is 21-5 against Eastern Michigan.
The Coaches: Dan Callahan is 166-220 in his eighth year at SIU and has a career 319-378-1 overall mark. MacMurray's Andy Danner is beginning his first year as a coach. UTM's Bubba Cates is 35-131 in his fourth year. Eastern Michigan's Roger Coryell is 371-397-2 is his 15th season.
Can't Touch This!!!: Redshirt sophomore pitcher Jerel Deitering had another strong outing last week when he pitched 7.1 innings in an 8-4 win over Missouri. Deitering struck out seven, walked one, allowed one earned run, two total runs and just five hits to improve his record to 2-0 with a 0.59 ERA (1st in the MVC among starters). He also leads the MVC in wins. Through two starts he has 18 strikeouts, two walks, has allowed two earned runs, three total runs, eight hits and a .148 opponents batting average in 15.1 innings of work.
New But True!!! : Ross Kowzan, a junior college transfer from Southeastern Illinois College, leads the team with a .524 BA and .714 slugging percentage and is tied for the team lead with 6 RBI. He has a double, a home run and is fourth in the MVC in batting average and tied for fourth in RBI. He hit .500 (5-for-10) last week at the Ron Maestri Classic including a 3-for-4 performance against Missouri and 2-for-5 vs. #4 Notre Dame.
Thunder From Down Under!!!: Toby Barnett, a junior college transfer from the College of Southern Idaho, was named the MVC Player of the Week on Feb. 25. Barnett hit .461 (6-13) with a double, 3 runs and 3 RBI at the Ron Maestri Classic. He went 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI in the 6-2 win versus #4 Notre Dame and was 2-for-5 against Missouri. For the year Barnett is hitting .435 with a team-high 3 doubles. He has a .565 slugging percentage and 6 RBI (tied for the team lead).
Fine Frosh!!!: P.J. Finigan, a true freshman, has started every game at shortstop and is fourth on the team with a .391 BA. He has a double, 4 RBI and no errors in 30 chances. He was 2-for-3 with two runs against Missouri at the Ron Maestri Classic last week.
Young Gun!!!: Freshman pitcher Eric Haberer (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 K) hasn't allowed a run in three innings of relief work and just two hits. He closed out the Salukis 6-2 win over #4 Notre Dame with two innings of one-hit, one-walk, one-strikeout pitching. He's allowing a .182 opponents batting average against 11 batters in two appearances.
They're Back!!!: Jake Alley and Luke Nelson are both pitching again for the first time since 2000 and doing well. Alley (1-0, 2.40 ERA) has pitched 15 innings, struck out 11 and walked five in two starts. Nelson (1-0, 3.07 ERA) won his first game with a seven inning, four strikeout, five walk performance in SIU's 6-2 win over #4 Notre Dame at the Ron Maestri Classic last week. He has eight strikeouts and eight walks in 14.2 innings pitched.
Hot Dawgs!!!: Jeff Stanek is hitting .462 (12-for-26) with a .692 slugging percentage and .517 on-base percentage (all 2nd at SIU). He has a double, triple and a home run. His .462 BA is tied for ninth in the MVC. Sal Frisella and Greg Andrews are both tied for the SIU and MVC lead with two home runs.
Pitching Power!!!: SIU has a 2.75 ERA in 52.1 innings with 40 strikeouts & 20 walks. The dawgs has allowed opponents a .246 batting average, 50 hits and 16 earned runs (21 total).
Saluki Swingers: SIU is hitting .323 led by the Fab Four of Kowzan (.524), Stanek (.462), Barnett (.435) and Finigan (.391). The Salukis have a .473 slugging and .372 on-base percentage and have stolen seven of nine bases.
The Opponent: MacMurray is led by 3B-Eddy Kowalczyk (.345 BA), C-Jake Thrasher (.331) and P-Pat Tueth (5-3, 4.60 ERA). UTM is led by OF-Curtis Wooten (.556), 1B-Don Waller (.375) and P-Brad Meadows (0-0, 5.00). EMU is led by IF-Frank Garcia (.500), IF-Tony Palazzolo (.375), OF-Ryan Goleski (.357), P-Joe Linde (1-1, 4.40) and P-Anthony Tomey (1-1, 6.23).
Hello Newman!!!: Junior Cory Newman started the first six games this season in centerfield to run his streak to 61 straight games started at SIU. In 2001 he started all 55 games in centerfield as well. Newman is hitting .240 with a double, triple and four RBI.
Bumps & Bruises: Justin Maurath (hand) and Marshall Tucker (arm) could play this week.
Preseason Polling: SIU was picked to finish eighth in the nine-team Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Poll by the coaches. Defensive Dawgs: After finishing second in the MVC in defense last year (.961), the Salukis have started 2002 with just four errors in 224 chances for a .982 fielding percentage.
Maybe Later??: The Murray St. game on Feb. 27 was rescheduled to April 30 at 3 p.m. at home. The MSU game April 23 is now in Murray.
Follow The Salukis: Follow SIU Baseball on the world wide web at www.siusalukis.com, the official website of SIU Athletics. Game stories, box scores, season stats etc. will be available after each game and throughout the season.
Saluki Radio: Saluki Baseball will be broadcast by Mike Reis and Russ Eisenstein on 1020 AM and the Saluki web site beginning with conference play on March 22 against Bradley.
