Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Baseball Hosts Evansville This Weekend
04/08/2004 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
April 8, 2004
By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois (7-17-1, 3-4-1) returns home to host Evansville (14-14, 2-6) in a four-game series on Apr. 9-11. The series opens Friday at 1 p.m., with a noon doubleheader Saturday and a 1 p.m., matchup Sunday, to follow.
SIU holds a 73-43 lead in its overall series against UE. Since head coach Dan Callahan took over the SIU helm in 1995, the Salukis have gone 14-24 against the Aces, including a 2-2 series split a year ago.
SIU is currently on a three-game losing streak after dropping three of four games to SMS (Apr. 2-4). Standing in fifth place among league foes, the Salukis are led by sophomore Nathan Emrick who is hitting .382 with 20 runs scored, five doubles, 14 RBI, seven walks and seven stolen bases. Greg Andrews follows with a .318 average which includes a team-leading seven home runs.
Meanwhile, UE enters the weekend on a six-game losing streak after most recently suffering a 10-7 loss to Vanderbilt (4/6). Ranking seventh in the MVC, the Purple Aces are hitting .327 as a team and are led by Cody Strait. Strait is hitting .434 with 29 runs, five doubles, two triples, seven home runs and 27 RBI.
Additionally, both teams have struck out a lot this season. UE leads the Valley with 192 whiffs and SIU follows close behind with 186. Most recently, the Salukis struck out 41 times in four games against the Bears last weekend, marking the third series this season, where it has had more strikeouts than hits.
SIU left-hander Eric Haberer (2-0, 1.95 ERA) and UE right-hander Adam Rogers (2-2, 4.83 ERA) will open the series on the mound.
All four games of this weekend's series between SIU and UE will be broadcast live on WCIL 1020 AM. Live stats for all games can also be accessed via the internet at www.siusalukis.com.
