Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Wichita State series looms large for Saluki Baseball
04/28/2011 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
April 28, 2011
By Jason Clay
SIUSalukis.com
Wichita State Series: Games 41-43
Wichita State (26-18, 5-4 MVC) at Southern Illinois (15-25, 6-3 MVC)
Game Dates & Times:
Friday, April 29 - 3 p.m. CT
Saturday, April 30 - 2 p.m. CT
Sunday, May 1 - 1 p.m. CT
Location: Carbondale, Ill. - Abe Martin Field (2,000)
Radio: All three games are available through the Saluki Sports Network with the call from Mike Reis on WFRX 1300-AM.
Live Stats: SIUSalukis.com
Radio Streaming: Through Game Central at SIUSalukis.com
Video Streaming: Through Game Central at SIUSalukis.com
Weather Forecast:
Friday - 73 degrees, sunny
Saturday - 77 degrees, 10 percent chance of showers, windy
Sunday - 62 degrees, 70 percent chance of showers
Quick Hits
→ The Southern Illinois baseball team hosts Wichita State in an all-important three-game Missouri Valley Conference series this weekend at Abe Martin Field. Fans can listen to all three games on the Saluki Sports Network with the call from Mike Reis on WFRX 1300-AM. Radio and video streaming is available at SIUSalukis.com, through Game Central.
→ Three weeks into the conference season, Southern Illinois has found itself in a three-way tie for first place with Creighton and Missouri State. This comes after the league coaches picked the Salukis to finish seventh in the preseason poll. Wichita State is right behind with a 5-4 league record, making this an important series for both schools.
→ Saluki alum from around the country are coming back to Carbondale this weekend for a reunion. Over 100 former players and coaches will be in town for the series against WSU.
→ Sophomore pitcher Cody Forsythe was named the MVC Pitcher of the Week on Monday. He has a 3-0 league record and leads the conference in both innings pitched (69.1) and ERA (2.08). Forsythe enters the weekend having allowed just three runs over his last four starts.
→ The 2009 series between Southern Illinois and Wichita State was canceled due to the inland hurricane that ripped through Carbondale. Wichita State owns a 21-5 record over SIU in Carbondale dating back to 1995. Southern has only won one series at home against WSU in that time, and that came in 2005 when the Dawgs took two of three games.
→ SIU's starting pitching has been the key to its success in Valley play. In nine conference games, Cameron Maldonado, Cody Forsythe and Brad Drust have combined to post a 6-1 record, 2.49 ERA and have 57 strikeouts against 16 walks.
→ Freshman shortstop Jake Welch is batting a team-best .387 in Valley play this year. He is doing even better in home games, as he is hitting .421 at Abe Martin Field. The left-handed hitter enters the weekend having posted two or more hits in six out of his last 10 games and he is batting .457 in that time.
