Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Salukis open 2016 season at McNeese State
02/18/2016 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
| Southern Illinois (0-0, 0-0 MVC) at McNeese State (0-0, 0-0 Southland) | |
| Date | Friday Feb. 19 - Sunday Feb. 21 |
| Time | Friday - 6:00 p.m., Saturday - 3:00 p.m., Sunday 12:00 p.m. (All times Central) |
| Location | Cowboy Diamond - Lake Charles, La. |
| Probables | Friday: LHP Joey Marciano (SIU) vs RHP Kaleb Fontenot (MSU) Saturday: RHP Chad Whitmer (SIU) vs LHP Bryan King (MSU) Sunday: RHP Michael Baird (SIU) vs RHP Ethan Stremmel (MSU) |
| Video | TBD |
| Radio | None |
| Free Audio | None |
| Game Notes | Southern Illinois |
| Live Stats | |
| 2016 Quick Facts | Southern Illinois |
| Social Media | @SIU_Baseball |Saluki Athletics |
OPENING DAY
Southern Illinois University opens the 2016 season with a three-game series at McNeese State.
FRIDAY'S STARTER
Newcomer Joey Marciano will get the nod for the Salukis on opening day. The 6'-5" left-handed pitcher impressed the Saluki coaching staff in earning the Friday spot. Marciano was highly successful at John A Logan in his two years, as he was named the Great Rivers Athletic Conference (GRAC) Freshman of the year in 2014 and was the 2015 GRAC Pitcher of the Year.
SATURDAY'S STARTER
Chad Whitmer returns for his junior season and will take the mound on Saturday. Whitmer started last season as a reliever, but an injury to the Saluki weekend rotation opened up an opportunity for Whitmer to move into that role. Whitmer made four starts at the end of the last season. His best game came against Missouri State, as he pitched seven innings while only allowing one run in a narrow 1-0 defeat. He held an ERA of 5.81 with 34 strikeouts in 48 innings pitched.
SUNDAY'S STARTER
The final pitcher of the weekend rotation for Southern will be Michael Baird. The sophomore from Parker, Colo., ended the 2015 season with a couple of strong performances out of the bullpen. Baird made two starts last season while making 18 total appearances. In 46 innings of work, Baird recorded the second-highest strikeout total on the team with 44.
SCOUTING THE SALUKIS
Southern enters the series with McNeese after finishing the 2015 season with a 12-46 record. SIU returns 23 players that saw action last season, including six position starters. The Salukis return three of their top five hitters from last season that played in at least 30 games, including Ryan Sabo who had a team-high batting average of .292 and Greg Lambert who was second on the team with 61 hits. The pitching staff returns 10 pitchers that had at least seven appearances.
MCNEESE STATE SERIES NOTES
SIU leads the all-time series 1-0 against McNeese State. The lone matchup between the schools saw SIU earn a 13-3 win in 1959.
SCOUTING THE COWBOYS
The Cowboys enter the 2016 season after finishing 32-25 last year. Joe Provenzano is one of MSU's top returning players. As a freshman, Provenzano was a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American, the Southland Conference Freshman of the Year, and was an All-Southland Conference First-Team selection at second base. Friday starter Kaleb Fontenot leads the pitching staff for the Cowboys. He had a team-high seven wins last season and led the team in innings pitched and strikeouts.
BRINGING THE POWER
Logan Blackfan returns after a very strong freshman campaign from the batters box. Blackfan showed his hitting prowess, recording 19 doubles in 2015 to tie for eighth in SIU history for most doubles in a single season.
WELCOME BACK
Austin Covers and Connor Kopach return to the Salukis healthy in 2016, after missing most of 2015 with injuries. Kopach played in four games before a broken hand ended his season early. Covers made one appearance at TCU, holding the Horned Frogs hitless in one inning of work. Both are expected to contribute this season.
