Baseball Opens MVC Tournament Play Against No. 4 Evansville Wednesday
05/24/2005 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
May 24, 2005
By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
WICHITA, Kan.-Third-seeded Southern Illinois (37-19) will open play at the 2005 ConAgra Foods Missouri Valley Conference Tournament against fourth-seeded Evansville (35-21) Wednesday at 3 p.m., CST. This year's tournament, which will be held at Wichita State University's Eck Stadium-Tyler Field, runs Wednesday-Saturday, May 25-28.
MVC Tournament Central
Junior left-hander Tyler Norrick (Festus, Mo.) will take the mound against the Purple Aces Wednesday. Norrick threw a one-hit shutout in seven innings the last time he started against UE on Apr. 24. His strong outing helped lead the Salukis to a 2-1 series win. Norrick is 5-3 with a 2.71 ERA.
The Salukis, preseason-picked to finish fifth, finished their regular-season in third-place behind Creighton and Wichita State. The Bluejays, picked to finish second in the preseason poll, captured their first-ever regular-season crown after WSU fell to Bradley on Friday, May 20.
Tournament Preview
Third time's a charm might be what SIU is thinking heading into the 2005 ConAgra Foods Missouri Valley Conference Tournament this week. The Salukis, who took home runner-up honors at the tourney in each of the last two seasons, enter this year's fling with a full head of steam.
Led by the league's Player of the Year, P.J. Finigan, who was named first-team all-MVC as both a shortstop and starting pitcher, SIU begins postseason play after winning 17 of its last 22 games. The red-hot Dawgs, who have also won eight of their last nine, are currently 37-19 on the year, as the 2005 campaign is the best in 11 seasons under head coach Dan Callahan.
Finigan, who leads the league in hitting with a .386 batting average, recently became the third Saluki in school history to be named MVC Player of the Year. A native of Springfield, Ill., he was named the Valley's Athlete of the Week on four occasions, MVC/Prairie Farms Scholar-Athlete of the Week twice and Louisville Slugger National Pitcher of the Week once.
Finigan (9-2), along with Tyler Norrick and Bryan Rueger, have teamed up to guide SIU to a league-leading 3.25 ERA on the mound this season. Norrick, whose emergence as the Salukis' ace has been somewhat comparable to Eric Haberer's a year ago, was named second-team all-MVC, and currently holds a 5-3 record with 84 strikeouts in 76.1 innings. Not to mention, he continues to draw attention from professional scouts.
Rueger, also a second-team all-MVC pick, is 9-3 on the year, and his nine wins tie Finigan for the team-lead. With one more win apiece, Finigan and Rueger will become the first Saluki pitchers to post 10 wins in a season since 1981.
While SIU's starting pitching has been impressive, its bullpen has been up and down. Lately, the Saluki pen has been getting the job done thanks to crafty left-hander Adam Snyder, who picked up three saves in three appearances last week. Snyder, who has made 25 relief appearances, leads the Dawgs with six saves.
Offensively, the Dawgs have been getting plenty of production out of its aggressive leadoff hitter, Kevin Koski. Koski, who was named first-team all-MVC with Finigan, carries a 32-game hitting streak to Wichita.
Matt Brewer, who entered the season as one of three Saluki starters in the outfield, made second-team all-conference as a third baseman. Brewer ranks among the Top-30 in the nation in doubles per game, as his 22 doubles top both his team and the MVC. Overall, he sports a .307 batting average, which includes six home runs and 40 RBI.
Nathan Emrick and freshman Dean Cademartori also received all-conference recognition, as they were named honorable mention.
The Salukis knocked off one of the two top-seeds en route to advancing to the MVC Tournament Championship in 2003 and 2004. However, Wichita State defeated SIU twice in both of those years to eliminate the Dawgs.
The last time SIU had a Player of the Year in the league is also the last time the Salukis won a MVC Tournament title, in 1990.
Broadcast Information
All games of Southern Illinois' games at the 2005 ConAgra Foods MVC Tournament will be simulcast live on 1020 WCIL-AM or 95.1 WUEZ-FM and www.siusalukis.com. Mike Reis will handle play-by-play duties. QuickTime Player is required for all webcasts. Live stats all MVC Tournament games can also be accessed at www.goshockers.com.
Tournament Information
Individual tickets and tournament all-session tickets can be purchased through the WSU Ticket Office by calling (316) 978-FANS. Individual game and tournament all-session tickets will be priced as follows: Field Box: $12 ndividual Session $65 All-Session; Concourse Box Seats: $10 Individual Session and $55 All-Session; Chairback Seats: $8 Individual Session and $45 All-Session; General Admission: $6 Individual Session and $35 All-Session; Youth (2-12), College Students w/ID and Senior Citizen (65+): $5 Individual Session and $25 All-Session.
The championship game of the 2005 ConAgra Foods MVC Tournament will be shown at 6 p.m., CST on May 28 on FSN Midwest, FSN South and Fox College Sports, and tape-delay at 7 p.m., on Saturday, June 4, on Comcast SportsNet Chicago. The championship telecast will also be cleared on Metro Sports -- the league's production company which is based in Kansas City, Mo. -- at 4 p.m., CST on Sunday, May 29.
Salukis at the MVC Tournament
SIU, who appeared at the MVC Tournament for the first time in 1975, makes its 22nd trip to the league's postseason championship in 2005. Since 1975, the Salukis have compiled an overall record of 43-38 (.531) in Valley Tournament games.
The Salukis seek their sixth MVC title when they head to Wichita, Kan., this week. Prior to 2005, SIU has won MVC Tournament Championships in 1976, 1978, 1981 and 1990. All five of those crowns came under former Saluki head coach and current Illinois skipper Richard "Itch" Jones. Jones coached the Dawgs from 1970-90.
2003 and 2004 Roads to the NVC Title Round
In 2003, No. 3 SIU beat No. 4 Northern Iowa (10-6), No. 2 Wichita State (6-4) and No. 1 SMS (9-4) to get to the championship game. In 2004, No. 4 SIU defeated No. 3 SMS (3-1), No. 2 Creighton (6-5) and No. 6 Evansville (11-1 in eight inn.) to advance to the title match.Unfortunately, the Shockers beat the Salukis twice in each of those seasons to win the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
Last Time Against Evansville
SIU took two of three games from UE at Braun Stadium on Apr. 22-24. The Salukis won games one (9-3) and three (13-0 in 7 inn.), and lost game two (3-2). Saluki pitching held UE's first-team all-MVC first baseman and one of the league's most dangerous hitters, Erik Lis, hitless as he went 0-for-10 on the series. SIU advanced to the MVC Tournament title game after run-ruling UE, 11-0, last year in Springfield, Mo.
Head Coach Dan Callahan
Dan Callahan (Quincy College, `81; SIU, `87) is 288-318-1, 148-182-1 (MVC) in his 11th season at the helm of the Saluki Baseball program. Callahan guided the Dawgs to the MVC Tournament Championship game in each of the last two seasons. He is 441-476-2 all-time in 16-plus years as a Division I head coach.
SIU has won 30 or more games in three of Callahan's last four years. The Salukis' 37 wins in 2005 are the most in a season under Callahan, and the most by a SIU club since the 1990 Salukis won 49 games.
This year marks the seventh MVC Tournament berth under the 11-year Saluki head coach. Since taking over the Saluki helm in 1995, Callahan has guided the Dawgs into postseason play in 1996, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2004. This season, the Salukis make their fifth-straight trip to the MVC Tournament under Callahan.
Koski's Hitting Streak Reaches 32 Games, Ties for Fifth All-Time in MVC
Saluki leadoff man Kevin Koski (Schaumburg, Ill.) extended his boiling hitting streak to 32 games, as SIU went 3-1 to close out its 2005 regular-season last week.
On the week, Koski hit .533 (8-for-15) with four multiple-hit games, five runs scored, two doubles, a triple, two RBI, two walks and a pair of stolen bases. He also boasted a .800 slugging percentage and a .611 on-base percentage.
Lately, it hasn't taken Koski long to keep his hitting streak alive, as he hit safely during his first at-bat in seven of the Dawgs' last nine games.
Koski's hitting streak ties Wichita State's Chris Wimmer (1990-91) and Indiana State's Demetrius Dowler (1993) and Clint Barmes (2000) for the fifth-longest in MVC history. Wichita State's Phil Stephenson (1981), who hit safely in 47 consecutive games holds the current league record.
If Koski hits safely in two more consecutive games, his hitting streak will be at 34, thus tying Shocker first baseman Derek Schermerhorn, who strung together a 34-game hitting streak earlier this season.
Koski has hit .400 (54-for-135) with 29 runs scored, seven doubles, two triples, 12 walks, seven stolen bases and 16 RBI during his 32-game stretch.
He ranks second in the MVC in batting average (.380), sixth in on-base percentage (.451), first in hits (87) and second in runs scored (54).
In 56 starts as the Dawgs' center fielder, Koski tops his team in runs, hits, walks and stolen bases. He also leads the Salukis with 29 multiple-hit games, and ranks fourth with 32 RBI.
Red-Hot Dawgs Carry Plenty of Momentum into this Year's Tourney
SIU enters the 2005 ConAgra Foods MVC Tournament after winning 17 of its last 22 games. The Salukis, who recently had a season-best six-game winning streak snapped against Illinois State last weekend, have also won eight of their last nine.
The Salukis, who played 10 of 13 games at home this month, posted 22 wins in Carbondale. SIU's 22 games ties with Evansville for the second-most home wins in the MVC this season.
Offensively, the Salukis registered double-digit hits in 14 of their previous 22 contests. SIU is 27-4 when getting 10 or more hits, and is 33-2 when outhitting its opponent.
Meanwhile, SIU pitchers had only allowed two earned runs in 54 innings of work before the Salukis suffered their worst defeat of the season, a 16-2 loss to Illinois State on May 20. SIU's 13 earned runs in that game against the Redbirds, matched its total of 13 allowed in its previous 89 innings
Kudos to Callahan
SIU's 37 wins to date are the most in a season under 11-year head coach Dan Callahan. Prior to this year, the most wins in a season under Callahan came in 2002, where the Dawgs went 32-24. The 2005 Salukis are Callahan's third team in the last four years to post 30 or more wins, as they join the 2002 (32-24) and 2003 (30-25) clubs.
Starting Pitching Dominates
SIU should stick to the same starting rotation this week at the MVC Tournament.
Junior left-hander Tyler Norrick (Festus, Mo.) is expected to start on the mound Wednesday against Evansville. Senior right-hander P.J. Finigan (Springfield, Ill.) and senior left-hander Bryan Rueger (Mt. Vernon, Ind.) are SIU's other two MVC starters. Freshman Ryan Terry (Palmyra, Mich.) is also a possibility at this week's tourney.
Norrick, Finigan and Rueger have guided the Salukis to a league-leading 3.25 ERA, as they've teamed up for 263 strikeouts in 292.1 innings. SIU's team ERA has also ranked among the top-20 in the nation the last three weeks.
Norrick (5-3), Finigan (9-2) and Rueger (9-3) are a combined 23-8 overall and 15-5 in MVC games.
Other Notes
SIU posted its fourth three-game sweep of an opponent this season when it beat South Dakota State by scores of 7-2, 8-1 and 6-1. The Salukis also swept New Orleans (Feb. 18-20), Chicago State (Mar. 11-13) and Northern Iowa (Mar. 25-27) this season.
SIU closed out its 2005 regular-season with six consecutive series wins against conference opponents. The Salukis won two of three against SMS, Evansville, Indiana State, Wichita State and Illinois State.
P.J. Finigan (Springfield, Ill.) and Bryan Rueger (Mt. Vernon, Ind.) are each one win away from becoming SIU's first pitchers to post 10 wins in a season since Robbie Clark did it in 1981.
Matt Brewer (Springfield, Ill.) took over as the Dawgs' cleanup hitter after it was announced the Grant Gerrard would miss the rest of the season due to a broken wrist. After struggling at the plate, Brewer was moved to the bottom half of the order, where he has remained since the SMS series. However, this past weekend against llinois State, Brewer hit cleanup for the first time since Apr. 19. Brewer hit .533 (8-for-15) with one home run, two doubles, five runs scored, five RBI and three stolen bases to help lead SIU to a 3-1 record last week.
Brewer is one of seven Salukis who have had at least one at-bat in the four-hole since Gerrard got hurt. That group is only hitting .215 (26-for-121) with 17 runs, nine doubles, two homers and 20 RBI. Gerrard alone was hitting .333 (36-for-108) with 18 runs, nine doubles, five home runs and 26 RBI before his injury.
Saluki freshman right-hander Ryan Terry (Palmyra, Mich.) remained undefeated at 5-0 after beating nationally-ranked Missouri earlier this week. Terry, who boasts a team-leading 1.67 ERA, has made seven midweek starts, where he has struck out 30 and walked 11 in 43 innings.