Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Baseball Hosts Iowa in Home Opener This Weekend
03/06/2003 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
March 6, 2003
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Salukis Cancelled at Tennessee-Martin
SIU's baseball game scheduled on Wednesday (Mar. 5) was cancelled due to inclement weather. As of now, the possibility of a make-up game has been discussed, but not yet determined at this time. Wednesday's game marked the Salukis' second cancelled due to bad weather this season.
Series History
SIU stands at an even 1-1 in its overall series against the University of Iowa. The last time these two teams met was in 1994. That year, the Salukis posted a 4-3 win over the Hawkeyes under then-head coach Sam Riggleman.
About the Salukis
SIU plays at home for the first time this season Saturday-Sunday, March 8-9, when it hosts Iowa. The Salukis stand at an even 4-4 on the young season, despite having two games cancelled due to inclement weather. Coming off a 8-4 come-from-behind win over Northern Illinois (3/2), the Dawgs head into this weekend's series led by sophomore first baseman Carl Heuer who is hitting .444 with a home run and five RBI. Junior second baseman Greg Andrews follows with a .419 clip at the plate. On the mound, freshman left-hander Adam Snyder is coming off his first collegiate win against the Huskies. Snyder, a native of Pittsburgh, Pa., has thrown four consecutive scoreless innings, while striking out three batters and allowing just one hit.
Saluki Pitching Rotation
Saturday Game One - Jerel Deitering (Jr., RHP, Auburn, Wash.); Game Two - Jake Alley (Sr., RHP, Anna, Ill.). Sunday - To Be Announced.
Matchup Note
Offensively, SIU is faring well against opponents hitting .282 on the season. However, pitching has been a different story. SIU hurlers, who boast a 6.26 ERA, have allowed 82 hits and 59 runs in 69 innings this season. The Saluki pitching staff has also managed to strikeout just 29 batters, which currently rank tied for fifth among MVC contenders.
Radio
Southern Illinois will not have any radio broadcast for this weekend's series against the University of Iowa.
About the Hawkeyes
Iowa enters this weekend's series at 0-2 on the season after being swept in a doubleheader to MVC powerhouse Wichita State. The Shockers beat the Hawkeyes 3-2 and 13-2 last Monday in Wichita. Junior infielder Mike Best is hitting .429 to lead all Hawkeyes at the plate after two games this season. He is followed by sophomore infielder Luis Andrulonis who boasts a .400 batting average.
Hawkeye Pitching Rotation
Saturday Game One - Cory Hollenhorst (Jr., RHP, St. Cloud, Minn.); Game Two - Ryan Mentkowski (Jr., LHP, Franklin, Wis.). Sunday - Reed Pawelk (Sr., RHP, Plymouth, Minn.).
Radio
Iowa will not have any radio broadcast for this weekend's series against Southern Illinois University.
The Coaches
Dan Callahan (Quincy College, '81; SIU, '87) is 198-246 in his ninth season as head coach of SIU. With over 14 years of Division I coaching experience, Callahan guided the Salukis (32-24) to their best season in over a decade in 2002. Meanwhile, Scott Broghamer (Luther College, '79) is 105-156 in his sixth year at the University of Iowa.
Something in Common
SIU Head Coach Dan Callahan and Iowa Head Coach Scott Broghamer are coming off their best seasons of their respective coaching careers. In 2002, Callahan guided the Salukis to their best finish in 12 years, while Broghamer led the Hawkeyes to their first postseason tournament berth in 12 years. Additionally, each have registered 100 or more career wins.
Conference Call
The University of Iowa marks the fourth team from a different league that SIU will face in its non-conference season. Iowa, a member of the Big Ten Conference, joins Centenary College (TAAC), South Florida (Conference USA) and Northern Illinois (Mid-American), who the Dawgs played earlier this year.
SIU Versus the Big Ten
SIU has faced nine of 11 opponents from the Big Ten. Against those nine Big Ten schools, the Salukis have fared well putting together an overall record of 54-35. SIU, who is 26-17 vs. Illinois, 2-5 vs. Indiana, 1-1 vs. Iowa, 2-1 vs. Michigan, 4-1 vs. Michigan State, 4-3 vs. Minnesota, 6-6 vs. Ohio State, 2-0 vs. Purdue and 7-1 vs. Wisconsin, last defeated a Big Ten opponent in 1999 when it beat both Illinois (13-12) and Michigan (6-0). The only two Big Ten opponents the Dawgs have never played are Northwestern and Penn State.
Walking in Memphis
SIU, who cancelled its original two-game home series against Blackburn (3/1-2), was one of six teams that travelled to Memphis, Tenn., to pick up some games last weekend. The Salukis, along with Saint Louis, Evansville, Blackburn, Ball State and Northern Illinois, were able to play at least two games at a neutral site called Gagliano Field. SIU, however, split its pair of games losing 5-3 to Blackburn (3/1) and winning 8-4 over Northern Illinois (3/2). The split evened the Dawgs' record to 4-4 on the year.
Approaching 200
Dan Callahan, who has put together an overall record of 198-246 in a little over eight years at the Saluki Baseball helm, stands just two wins away from becoming the third head coach in SIU history to post 200 or more career wins. If Callahan reaches this milestone, he will join Glen "Abe" Martin (278-176-2) and Richard "Itch" Jones (738-345-5) in the elite few.
Wake Up Call
SIU's loss to Blackburn Saturday marked the first time the Salukis have fallen to a NCAA Division III opponent in 14 years. SIU last lost to Montclair State of New Jersey on March 19, 1989. Under then-head coach Richard "Itch" Jones, the Salukis lost to the Red Hawks, 8-1, at Mark Light Stadium in Miami, Fla. Additionally, Sean Bergman suffered the loss on the mound, which at that time, began a three-game losing skid for the Dawgs.
Yard Work
Sophomore P.J. Finigan became the fifth different Saluki to hit a home run this season, Saturday against Blackburn. Finigan's two-out, two-run blast in the bottom of the ninth was part of a 2-for-4, two runs and two RBI performance on the day. Finigan joined Carl Heuer, Sal Frisella, Toby Barnett and Ross Kowzan who have also homered this year.
Kowzan Slump
The team's leading offensive threat a year ago, senior Ross Kowzan has gone hitless in four straight games. Currently mired in a 0-for-14 slump, Kowzan will look to record his first hit since Feb. 21, Wednesday, when the Dawgs play at Tennessee-Martin.
Comeback Kids
SIU's 8-4 win over Northern Illinois (3/2) marked the third time this season the Salukis have come back to win a game after trailing by at least two runs after the game's first three innings. SIU also fell behind early on to Centenary College (2/16) and South Florida (2/22) before rallying to post 12-9 and 4-3 wins, respectively.
Take a Bow
Junior second baseman Greg Andrews has hit safely in each of SIU's first eight games this season. As a result, the native of Peoria, Ill., is off to the best start of his career. Sporting a second-best .419 batting average, Andrews posted two or more hits on four occasions this season. In addition, he accumulated two doubles, nine runs scored and six RBI. The closest Andrews has come to an impressive start like this was in 2002 when he recorded at least one hit in five of his first six games.
Off to a Frosh Start
Freshman left-hander Adam Snyder extended his scoreless inning streak to four Sunday against Northern Illinois. A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., Snyder has thrown all seven of his innings in relief this season. Standing at 1-0 on the year after posting his first collegiate win against the Huskies, Snyder has also allowed just one hit, while striking out three batters over that span.
Pitching Struggles
After eight games this season, the SIU pitching staff ranks seventh among Missouri Valley Conference foes with a 6.26 ERA. Saluki hurlers have allowed 82 hits and 59 runs in 69.0 innings this season. In addition, the SIU pitching staff has struck out 29 batters for a 3.6 strikeout per game average.
Alley Moves to Sixth in Career Strikeouts
Jake Alley's season-high four strikeouts against Northern Illinois (3/2) moved him to sixth all-time among SIU's career strikeout leaders. Alley, who has pitched 11 innings in two starts this season, boosted his career strikeout total to 218, as it surpassed Scott Waltemate's 214 Ks during 1971-74.
Joiner Falls
Junior right-hander Josh Joiner has suffered back-to-back losses en route to dropping to 1-2 on the season. Lasting just 3.2 innings combined in his last two starts, Joiner allowed 10 hits, 10 runs and two walks. Additionally, he has hit two batters, given up three doubles, a triple and a home run, and has been touched for eight earned runs.
Lightning Boldt
Junior transfer Nathan Boldt has registered two hits in each of his last two games. Currently on a four-game hitting streak, the third baseman from Mt. Vernon, Ill., went 4-for-9 with two runs scored in the Dawgs' two games last week. Hitting .313, Boldt holds a third-best 10 hits on the season.
On the Fly
In its loss to Blackburn Saturday, SIU registered 17 fly ball outs against Beaver pitcher Sean Courtney. Averaging nearly two per inning, the Salukis were held scoreless for seven consecutive frames, before using a two-run ninth to slice the loss to 5-3.
Up Next
SIU will hit the road for a pair of games at the University of Oklahoma on Tuesday-Wednesday, March 11-12. Both contests will begin at 3 p.m., in Norman, Okla.
