Salukis open 2017 season at Stetson

02/15/2017 | 10:08:00 | Baseball

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS (0-0) AT STETSON (0-0) // DeLand, Fla. (Melching Field at Conrad Park) | SIU GAME NOTES PDF

Southern Illinois opens the 2017 season with a three-game series at Stetson. The games will be video streamed through GoHatters.com at a cost of $8.95 for a three-day pass. There will be a free audio broadcast on Friday and Sunday, but not Saturday due to Stetson's conflict with men's basketball. SIU is 6-8 all-time vs. Stetson, and the teams will play for the first time since 2012.

GAME 1 - Friday, Feb. 17 // 5:30 p.m. CT | WATCH (SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED) | LISTEN | STATS

SIU RHP Chad Whitmer (7-4, 2.77 ERA, 94.1 IP)
STET RHP Brooks Wilson (5-6, 2.90 ERA, 68.1 IP)

GAME 2 - Saturday, Feb. 18 // 1 p.m. CT | WATCH (SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED) | STATS

SIU RHP Michael Baird (9-4, 1.76 ERA, 102.0 IP)
STET RHP Jack Perkins (1-2, 8.91 ERA, 34.1 IP)

GAME 3 - SUNDAY, Feb. 19 // 11 a.m. CT | WATCH (SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED) | LISTEN | STATS

SIU LHP Joey Marciano (4-7, 3.78 ERA, 83.1 IP)
STET LHP Ben Onyshko (2-1, 4.26 ERA, 38.0 IP)

AROUND THE HORN

Southern Illinois opens the season with a three-game series at Stetson Feb. 17-19.
Saluki Baseball made the biggest turnaround in the nation from 2015 to 2016. The Salukis went 12-46 in 2015 before improving to 31-25-1 last season.
This year, SIU returns all three weekend starters, closer Ryan Netemeyer, and all nine positional starers from last year's 31-win team.
Southern was picked second in the MVC preseason poll, the highest predicted finish for SIU since 2006.
RHP Michael Baird, 1B Logan Blackfan and RHP Chad Whitmer were all named preseason All-MVC.
The Salukis have six players returning who were named All-MVC last year: RHP Michael Baird (first team), 1B Logan Blackfan (first team and All-Defensive team), RHP Ryan Netemeyer (second team), RHP Chad Whitmer (second team), 2B Connor Kopach (honorable mention), and LF Greg Lambert (honorable mention).
RHP Michael Baird was named the preseason MVC Pitcher of the Year by Baseball America and D1Baseball.
SIU is receiving votes in the preseason USA Today coaches poll. Dallas Baptist and SIU are the only two MVC teams receiving votes.
Connor Kopach, Greg Lambert, Nick Hutchins and Ryan Smith were all named All-Stars in their respective summer leagues.

OPENING DAY

Southern Illinois opens the 2017 season at Stetson Feb. 17-19.
SIU is 6-8 all-time against Stetson. The series started in 1996 and the teams haven't played since 2012.
The last time SIU played at Stetson, the Salukis won 11-8 over the No. 19-ranked Hatters in 2012.
The schools have played four three-game series and two single games. Neither team has swept the other. Stetson won two of three in 1996, 2005 and 2007. SIU won two out of three in 1999.
The 2017 Stetson Hatters were picked sixth in the ASUN. Junior catcher Austin Hale was named to the preseason All-Conference team.
SIU is 1-6 on Opening Day since 2010, with the program's only win coming in 2014.
Southern is 7-11 on opening weekend under head coach Ken Henderson. The Salukis won two of three to open the 2011 and 2012 seasons. SIU lost two of three in 2013, 2014 and 2016. No. 2 TCU swept SIU to open the 2015 season.

PRESEASON HYPE

Southern Illinois was picked second in the preseason MVC poll, the highest for the program since 2006 (also picked second).
The Salukis received three of the eight first-place votes. Preseason favorite Dallas Baptist received the other five first-place votes.
Michael Baird (SP), Logan Blackfan (1B) and Chad Whitmer (SP) were all named to the 14-man preseason All-MVC team.
There are only two starting pitcher spots on the preseason All-MVC team, and SIU filled both spots (Baird and Whitmer).
Baird is the consensus preseason MVC Pitcher of the Year, earning the honor from Perfect Game, D1Baseball and Baseball America.
Six players who earned All-MVC honors at the end of the 2016 season are back for 2017. SIU's six returning All-MVC players leads the MVC:
- SP Michael Baird (First Team)
- 1B Logan Blackfan (First Team and All-Defensive Team)
- SP Chad Whitmer (Second Team)
- RP Ryan Netemeyer (Second Team)
- 2B Connor Kopach (Honorable Mention)
- LF Greg Lambert (Honorable Mention)
Logan Blackfan will almost certainly break SIU's career doubles record this season. Blackfan has 42 career doubles in only two seasons. He had 19 as a freshman in 2015 and an MVC-leading 23 doubles last year.
SIU's career doubles record is 51, set by both Tim Kratochvil and Chris Serritella, meaning Blackfan needs just 10 this season to set the record.
Baird had a 1.76 ERA last year, which led the MVC and ranked 12th nationally.
Baird's 1.76 ERA is the best among all returning starters in the NCAA (min. 85 innings).
Chad Whitmer ranked fifth in the MVC in ERA last year (2.77) and Joey Marciano ranked 12th.

EVERYBODY'S BACK

Saluki Baseball returns virtually everybody from last year's 31-win team. Some numbers:
Pitching...
- 100 percent of weekend starts (Michael Baird, Joey Marciano and Chad Whitmer made all 45 weekend starts last year).
- 76 percent of innings pitched (387.1 of 509.2)
- SIU's nine returning pitchers had a combined ERA of 3.14 last year (135 ER in 387.1 innings).
- 12 of 13 saves (all 12 by Ryan Netemeyer)
Offense...
- 88 percent of positional starts (452 of 513)
- 90 percent of hits (464 of 516)
- 93 percent of doubles (94 of 101)
- 86 percent of RBIs (216 of 252)

BIG SUMMERS

The Salukis hitters are coming off big 2016 summers.
In the Northwoods League...
- Connor Kopach, Nick Hutchins and Greg Lambert were all named NWL All-Stars.
- Kopach set a NWL record with 50 stolen bases.
- Lambert led the NWL in RBIs with 66, a Willmar Stingers record.
- Lambert (1B) and Hutchins (C) were each named NWL "Big Sticks" for having the highest batting average in the league at his respective position.
In the West Coast League...
- Ryan Smith was a WCL All-Star.
- Smith led the WCL in on-base percentage (.448) and was third in batting average (.320).
Also notable, Will Farmer hit .299 for the DuPage Drones in the Prospect League.