Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Baseball Travels To #27 Southwest Missouri State
04/10/2002 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
April 10, 2002
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Carbondale, Ill. - After three straight splits in Missouri Valley Conference series to open the season, fourth place Southern Illinois University (17-11, 6-6 MVC) will be on the road this weekend to play first place #27 Southwest Missouri State (21-5, 7-1 MVC), the preseason MVC favorite, in Ozark, Mo. on April 12-14.
"SMS is a good team and they're playing very well right now. We'll have our hands full, but we're looking forward to the challenge of playing them this weekend. We're going to get back to playing the way we did early this season and I hope this is the weekend," said Dan Callahan, Saluki head coach.
"They have the best pitching (3.67 era) in the league and Dant'e Brinkley (.422 BA, 11 doubles, 4 HR, 26 RBI) is one of the most exciting players in the MVC. We have to figure out how to shut him down, he's the spark of their team."
The Salukis have split six games against three of the teams picked in the bottom half of the MVC, despite a combined 0-4 performance from Jake Alley and Luke Nelson the last two weeks. The freshman are 4-0 during that time but Callahan knows to do well this season Alley and Nelson have to come around soon.
"Alley and Nelson have to get on track and pitch well if we're going to finish in the top half of the MVC. I never thought they would be 0-4 and the freshmen would be 4-0 in MVC play. We need the whole staff to pitch well together to get going again," added Callahan.
SIU will play a single game Friday at 7 p.m., a doubleheader Saturday at 2 p.m. and a single game Sunday at 1 p.m. at Price Cutter Park.
