Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Baseball Continues Lengthy Homestand Tuesday Against SE Missouri State
03/22/2004 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
March 22, 2004
By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Winners in three of its last four games, the Southern Illinois University (3-13) baseball team continues its seven-game homestand Tuesday when it hosts Mississippi River rival Southeast Missouri State (8-9). First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m., at Abe Martin Field.
Although SIU holds an all-time 34-18 lead in games versus SEMO, the Indians have controlled the series in recent years. Dating back to 2000, SEMO has won seven of its last eight games against SIU, including two a year ago. In 2003, the Indians downed the Salukis by scores of 7-5 and 4-3. Also, SIU is 6-9 all-time against SEMO under head coach Dan Callahan.
SIU recently upset nationally-ranked Notre Dame (3/20) for its first win of the season at home. The 8-4 win, which marked the Salukis' first over a Top-25 opponent in two years, forced a two-game split with the Fighting Irish.
Power-hitting senior second baseman Greg Andrews took over as SIU's leading hitter for the first time this season after a remarkable three games a week ago. A native of Peoria, Ill., Andrews was named this week's Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week after hitting .545 (6-for-11) with five runs scored, three home runs and eight RBI.
Hitting one home run in each of his last four games, Andrews tops the Dawgs in several offensive categories, including batting average (.345), runs (15), home runs (6), RBI (16), total bases (41), slugging percentage (.707) and walks (13). Additionally, his six long balls lead the MVC, and add to a total of 21 in his career, as he currently ranks tied for ninth on SIU's all-time career home run list.
Andrews' hot stick has helped a blistering Saluki offense register a total of 97 hits in its last eight games. Averaging 12.1 hits per contest during that stretch, SIU also collected 10 or more hits in six of those outings, including a season-high of 25 at Murray State (3/18). However, in its last four games alone, the Saluki offense has recorded a .342 batting average, 45 runs, 52 hits, 39 RBI, seven doubles, two triples, seven home runs and 17 walks.
Meanwhile, SEMO has won four of its last five games, including two over last year's MVC regular-season champ and NCAA College World Series participant Southwest Missouri State. Hitting wise, the Indians are led by Frankie Montiel (.429) and Bryan Kurt (.425), who each boast .425 or better averages.
Defensively, both SIU and SEMO have committed 30 or more errors this season. The Salukis have registered 36, which more than double its opponents' 16 in their first 16 games this season, while the Indians have been charged with 30 in their opening 17 contests.
Other Notes: Southeast Missouri State is located in Cape Girardeau, Mo., which is home to Saluki junior right-hander Jason Chavez. Chavez is in his first year at SIU after having transferred from Mineral Area College, where he was named all-conference in his first JUCO season. He was also a 40th-round pick of the San Francisco Giants following that year. In addition, his father, Mike is the offensive line coach for the Indians' football team. So far in his Saluki debut, Chavez is 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA in five appearances.
