Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Baseball To Host Murray State Tuesday, Travel To Illinois Wednesday
04/29/2002 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
April 29, 2002
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Carbondale, Ill. - Southern Illinois University (25-17, 12-12 MVC) will face three non-league opponents this week due to a bye in Missouri Valley Conference play.
The Salukis, currently in fifth in MVC play, will host Murray State University (16-22, 7-5 OVC) on Tuesday at 3 p.m. at Abe Martin Field. SIU will travel to Champaign on Wednesday to play the University of Illinois (23-12, 8-10 Big Ten) in a 6:30 p.m. game at Illinois field.
Southern beat Murray State 15-5 on April 23, but Saluki head coach Dan Callahan expects a much closer game in the rematch.
"Murray State will have revenge on their minds after we blew a close game open in the seventh inning on their bullpen. The game was much closer than the score indicates. We split with them last year but are looking to get a sweep this year," said Callahan.
SIU's Bill Clayton picked up his first win of the year in the first Murray State meeting with five innings of one-hit ball. Clayton (2-1, 5.00 era) is scheduled to get the start on Tuesday and has won his last two starts, each time going five innings and allowing one hit. Ross Kowzan went 5-for-6 with two doubles and two RBI in the 15-5 win last week and leads SIU with a .396 average. MSU has lost three of its last five games.
On Wednesday, the Salukis will face former hall of fame coach Richard "Itch" Jones and the Fighting Illini at Illinois Field in the only meeting of the year.
"We always look forward to facing Coach Jones and the Illinois program. We respect both very much and they always have a great crowd and facility. They've had our number lately (swept SIU 10-6 and 7-3 in 2001) and we need to get a win against them," added Callahan.
Illinois has lost three of its last five games, but has beaten Southern the last four straight games, including 2-0 sweeps in 2000 and 2001. SIU's Cory Newman (.500), John Clem (.500) and Justin Maurath (.429) each had strong performances at the plate in last year's series.
SIU coach Dan Callahan is 6-6 overall against Illinois and Itch Jones, his former mentor. The Salukis are scheduled to start Jake Alley (5-3, 3.06 era) against the Illini.
SIU will wrap up its non-conference week with a doubleheader against Tennessee-Martin on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Abe Martin Field.
