Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Baseball Heads to Memphis to Face Blackburn
02/28/2003 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
Feb. 28, 2003
Carbondale, Ill. - Southern Illinois (3-3) will face Blackburn College (2-2) on Saturday, March 1 at Gagliano Field in Memphis, Tenn. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m., CST.
SIU, who returned from a three-game series at the University of South Florida earlier in the week, enters Saturday's game led by sophomore first baseman Carl Heuer. Making just two starts this season, Heuer smashed his first career home run as part of a 2-for-4 effort last Sunday against the Bulls.
Junior second baseman Greg Andrews follows hitting .409 with a pair of doubles, six runs scored and four RBI.
The Saluki pitching staff will look to get its rhythm back after struggling to a 7.06 ERA in its first six games. SIU hurlers have combined to allow 68 hits and 50 runs in 51.0 innings this season. Defensively, the Dawgs have also comitted 16 errors, including a season-high six against USF (2/23).
Meanwhile, on the offensive side of things, SIU is hitting .289 with three Salukis boasting .400 or better averages. Heuer's .429 mark spearheads the charge, while Andrews follows with .409 and junior transfer Josh Markle rounds out the attack hitting .400. Markle hit a solid .500 in the Dawgs' three-game series at South Florida.
Shortstop P.J. Finigan, right fielder Sal Frisella and catcher Toby Barnett, along with Andrews have been effective hitting in the top half of the lineup this season. Each are hitting .333 or better in 20 or more at-bats. Finigan (.333) hits second, Frisella (.333) hits third, Barnett (.300) hits cleanup and Anddrews hits fifth (.409). In addition, Markle boasts a .429 average in 14 at-bats as the team's seventh hitter in the batting order.
