SIU hosts Western Illinois for home opening weekend

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS (4-4) vs. WESTERN ILLINOIS (0-7) // March 3-5, 2017 // Carbondale, Ill. // Itchy Jones Stadium (2,000 // Turf) // Weather // SIU GAME NOTES PDF

Southern Illinois hosts Western Illinois for a three-game series from March 3-5 at Itchy Jones Stadium for home opening weekend. SIU also hosted WIU last year on home opening weekend, sweeping the three-game set from the Leathernecks.

GAME 1 - Friday, March 3 // 2 p.m. // Live Stats // No audio or video

SIU RHP Chad Whitmer (1-0, 1.50 ERA,12.0 IP)
WIU RHP Ian Koch (0-0, 0.77 ERA, 11.2 IP)

GAME 2 - Saturday, March 4 // 2 p.m. // Live Stats // No audio or video

SIU RHP Michael Baird (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 13.2 IP)
WIU RHP Javin Drake (0-2, 4.00 ERA, 9.0 IP)

GAME 3 - Sunday, March 5 // 1 p.m. // Live Stats // No audio or video

SIU LHP Joey Marciano (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 4.0 IP)
WIU TBD

AROUND THE HORN

Southern Illinois hosts Western Illinois for a three-game series March 3-5. It's home opening weekend for SIU, and games are set to start at 2 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday at Itchy Jones Stadium.
SIU also hosted Western on home opening weekend last year, with SIU sweeping the three-game series from the Leathernecks.
Southern Illinois leads the all-time series against WIU 33-10.
Southern's weekend starters have an 0.61 ERA in five starts this year. Chad Whitmer (12.0 IP, 2 ER), Michael Baird (13.2 IP, 0 R), and Joey Marciano (4.0 IP, 0 R) comprise SIU's formidable weekend rotation.
SIU's starting pitchers this weekend were also the starting pitchers last year against WIU. Last year, Whitmer, Baird and Marciano combined to throw 20.2 scoreless innings, allowing no runs and only seven hits in the series. Marciano took a no-hitter into the seventh; and Baird and Whitmer combined to strike out 21 Leathernecks.

SALUKIS HOST LEATHERNECKS ON HOME OPENING WEEKEND

Southern Illinois hosts Western Illinois for a three-game series March 3-5. It's home opening weekend for SIU, and games are set to start at 2 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday at Itchy Jones Stadium.
SIU also hosted Western on home opening weekend last year, with SIU sweeping the three-game series from the Leathernecks.
Southern Illinois leads the all-time series against WIU 33-10.
SIU was one of five teams nationally to earn a road sweep on opening weekend. The Salukis took all three games at Stetson to open the season but have lost four of the last five overall.
SIU is 2-2 in its home opener over the last four seasons. Southern beat WIU last year and Western Kentucky in 2013 but lost to Illinois in 2015 and Murray State in 2014.

WEEKEND STARTERS DOMINATING

Southern's weekend starters have an 0.61 ERA in five starts this year. Chad Whitmer (12.0 IP, 2 ER), Michael Baird (13.2 IP, 0 R), and Joey Marciano (4.0 IP, 0 R) comprise SIU's formidable weekend rotation.
SIU's starting pitchers this weekend were also the starting pitchers last year against WIU. Last year, Whitmer, Baird and Marciano combined to throw 20.2 scoreless innings, allowing no runs and only seven hits in the series. Marciano took a no-hitter into the seventh; and Baird and Whitmer combined to strike out 21 Leathernecks.
The starters have lived up to preseason hype. Whitmer and Baird were the only two starting pitchers selected to the preseason All-MVC team.
Joey Marciano did not pitch last weekend at Louisiana Monroe as a precautionary measure. Austin McPheron started in his place and was outstanding, allowing just one run in 3.2 innings.
SIU has pitched shutouts on both Saturdays so far this season. SIU beat Stetson 7-0 on Saturday and Louisiana Monroe 9-0.
Michael Baird started both shutouts. Both times, a freshman ended it. Brad Harrison pitched 2.1 scoreless at Stetson and Henry Boeckmann threw two scoreless frames at ULM.

FRESHMAN FOURSOME

Four true freshmen pitchers have been promising in their first career appearances.
Brad Harrison, Alex Gutermuth, Justin Yeager and Henry Boeckmann have thrown 12.1 innings and yielded just one earned run.
Harrison has yet to yield a hit in his collegiate career. He has thrown 5.1 no-hit innings out of the bullpen.
Harrison and Gutermuth (2.1 innings) haven't allowed a run this year. Gutermuth has allowed only one hit while striking out three.

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Michael Baird

Henry Boeckmann

Alex Gutermuth

Brad Harrison

Joey Marciano

Austin McPheron

Chad Whitmer

Justin Yeager

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