Lion Classic game notes and links

Friday, February 10

Hammond, LA

3 p.m.

Southern Illinois University

University of Nevada

02/09/2017 | 12:00:00 | Softball

By: By Drew Hoffman, SIUSalukis.com

HAMMOND, LA. – The Southern Illinois University starts their 2017 season at the Lion Classic, hosted by Southeastern Louisiana. SIU is scheduled to play five games in three days.

FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
Nevada 3 p.m.	Nicholls State 11 a.m.	Army 9 a.m.
Coppin State 5 p.m.	MVSU 5 p.m.

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QUICK HITTERS
Last season Southern Illinois…

The Salukis finished 33-19, which is 12 more than the 2015 season.
For third consecutive season the team ended the year with 15 plus wins in Missouri Valley Conference play. It was also the 16^th consecutive season where SIU finished with a winning record in MVC play.
Posted a winning record at home, away, and neutral sites, the first time since 2012.
Their 19 losses were tied for lowest in the conference.

WHAT WAS LOST/RETURNS FOR SIU
SIU returns most of their team from a season ago, losing three seniors to graduation. The Salukis key loss was their leadoff hitter, shortstop, and captain Kelsey Gonzalez. Gonzalez started all four years for SIU and led the team in hits her senior year.

This season's roster features six starters from last year's squad with a lot of experience. Shaye Harre, Merri Anne Patterson, Jessa Thomas, Sydney Jones, Savanna Fisher, and Eyrika Brandenburg all started 30 plus games last season for the maroon and white. Joining these six will be entire pitching staff from a year a go, two junior transfers, and five freshmen.

QUICK SCOUT FOR THE WEEKEND
The Salukis will face five opponents in three days at the Lion Classic. The weekend starts off with west coast opponent, the University of Nevada. SIU has played the Wolfpack two times, going 1-1. UV is coming off a 32-win season. Following this game the squad squares off with Coppin State late Friday night. This will be the first meeting against CSU in the program's history. The team starts their Saturday against Nicholls State. Nicholls State is the one team the Salukis have the most experience playing. The Dawgs are 5-2 all time against them, the most recent meeting being last year at the Lion Classic where SIU lost, 2-0. The second and final game Saturday will be against Mississippi Valley State. The last meeting with MVSU was in the same tournament last year; SIU won the game 12-0 in six innings. The team will wrap up their weekend on Sunday against another opponent they have never played, Army. The golden Knights ended last season at 39 wins and 20 losses.

CHASING 600
Head coach Kerri Blaylock enters her 18^th season only five wins shy of 600 in her career. Her overall record is 595-322-1, giving her the best winning percentage among active coaches in the conference. In the MVC she currently sits at No. 7 all-time in wins. There are only five coaches in the history of the MVC to reach 600 career wins, one of them being Saluki Hall-of-Famer Kay Brechtelsbauer.

During Blaylocks tenure the Salukis have had 15 winning seasons, 14 of which have had 30 or more wins. Blaylock has taken SIU to the NCAA tournament five times.

ONE, TWO, THREE PUNCH
This season SIU has all three of their pitchers returning, and all three enter the season healthy. A season ago the Salukis led the MVC in team ERA, opposing batting average, hits allowed, and runs allowed. Brianna Jones and Savanna Dover anchored the pitching staff. Jones led the league in wins and was second in ERA and innings pitched. Dover stepped up in a big way during conference play, picking up eight wins in the 12 games she started. She finished the season ranking inside the top ten in ERA, opposing batting average, and strikeouts. The final pitcher in SIU's rotation is Nicole Doyle. Doyle enters this season being fully healthy. The sophomore spent a majority of last season dealing with a knee injury that limited her playing time. However, in that limited playing time Doyle recorded a no-hitter and averaged more than a strikeout an inning.

HARRE DOES IT ALL
Shaye Harre is one of three seniors on SIU's roster this season. The Nashville, Illinois native is coming off a crazy season from a statistical standpoint. Harre led SIU in batting average at .368, homeruns (12), on base percentage, slugging percentage, RBIs, and walks. She finished the season inside the top-ten in each one of those categories in the MVC. Harre not only performed well on the field, but also in the classroom. The senior was selected as an Academic All-American, the 25^th in the programs history. SIU has the second most Academic All-Americans in the country, trailing only Nebraska.