Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Baseball begins play in the Brighthouse Invitational Friday
03/01/2012 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
March 1, 2012
By Scott Gierman
SIUSalukis.com
DeLand, Fla. - The Southern Illinois baseball (4-4) will play three games in the Brighthouse Invitational hosted by Stetson University in DeLand, Fla. The Salukis will play Georgia State on Friday, Stetson on Saturday and Penn on Sunday. It is SIU's second appearance in the Brighthouse Invitational. The school's first appearance was in 2009. The Salukis are coming off a 14-7 loss Wednesday night at Belmont.
GAME INFORMATION
Date: March 2-4
Time: Fri. - noon Central Time, Sat. - 6 p.m. Central Time, Sun. - 10 a.m. Central Time
Location: DeLand, Fla.
Site: Melching Field at Conrad Park
Audio: None
Video: Sat. - available on GoHatters.com
FRIDAY'S STARTER Junior Cody Forsythe will make his third start of the season. He has taken a no-decision in his first two outings of the year. Last time out, he allowed three earned runs in five and a third innings against Western Kentucky and left in line for the win. However, SIU lost in 13 innings
AGAINST THE OPPONENTS This weekend will mark the SIU baseball team's first ever meeting with Georgia State and Penn. Stetson leads the all-time series against the Salukis, 8-5. Stetson has won the last two matchups and five of the last seven against Southern.
SCOUTING THE PANTHERS Georgia State enters the weekend 5-4 on the season after losing to USC Upstate on Wednesday. GSU is 5-2 at home and 0-2 on the road. The Panthers are hitting .257 as a team. Offensively they are led by middle infielder Caden Bailey and outfielder Jonathan Kolowich who are hitting .391 and .371, respectively. Friday's probable starter Jake Dyer was a preseason Colonial Athletic Association Honorable Mention. GSU was picked second in the preseason CAA coaches' poll and received four of the 11 first place votes.
SCOUTING THE HATTERS Stetson enters the weekend with a 7-1 record after starting the season 5-0. The Hatters were picked to win the Atlantic Sun in the preseason coaches' poll. As a team, Stetson is hitting .303 with five players hitting above .315. The Hatters enter the weekend with a team ERA of 3.12. Saturday's starter Lindsey Coughel is off to an impressive start, leading the staff with a 2-0 record and 0.69 ERA in two starts.
SCOUTING THE QUAKERS Penn begins its season this weekend. Last season the Quakers went 19-21 overall and finished second in the Ivy League with a 10-10 record. The Quakers return two First Team All-Ivy League players in outfielder Greg Zebrack and first baseman Spencer Branigan. They will have to replace 2011 Ivy League Pitcher of the Year Paul Cusick.
SIVERTSEN STREAKING Jordan Sivertsen enters the game with a season-long eightgame hit streak, which matches the longest of his career. He recorded his first eight-game hitting streak in March of 2009. He also began the 2011 season with a seven-game hitting streak before going 0-for-2 on March 1 at Arkansas State.
HIT PARADE The Salukis opponents are hitting .325 on the year. SIU has given up double digit hits in six of its eight games this season. This includes a 19-hit performance by Western Kentucky in last Friday's 13-inning game.
SERRITELLA NOTES SIU first baseman Chris Serritella enters the weekend with multiple hits in four of his last six games and has driven in at least one run in each of the last four games. He also enters the weekend with a home run in each of his last two games. His next home run will be the 20th of his career. He is three RBI away from 100 for his career.
