SIU visits Indiana State for weekend series

Friday, April 14

Terre Haute, Ind.

5:30 p.m.

Southern Illinois University

Indiana State

04/13/2017 | 12:01:00 | Baseball

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS (17-17, 4-2 MVC) at INDIANA STATE (15-14, 2-1 MVC) // April 14-16, 2017 // Terre Haute, Ind. (Weather) // Bob Warn Field (2,000) // SIU Game Notes PDF

The Southern Illinois baseball team heads to Terre Haute, Ind., for a three game series against the Indiana State Sycamores. The first game in the series starts at 5:30 p.m. CT on Friday, and all three games will be streamed through The Valley on ESPN3. The road team has won each of the last three series in rivalry.

GAME 1 - Friday, April 14 // 5:30 p.m. CT // ESPN3 | Live Stats | Listen Free | 105-1 FM

SIU RHP Chad Whitmer (2-3, 4.83 ERA, 50.1 IP)
INS RHP Jeremy McKinney (4-1, 2.91 ERA, 34.0 IP)

GAME 2 - Saturday, April 15 // 1 p.m. CT // ESPN3 | Live Stats | Listen Free | 95.5 FM or 1300-AM in Carbondale

SIU RHP Michael Baird (4-0, 2.32 ERA, 54.1 IP)
INS RHP Tyler Ward (2-2, 3.19 ERA, 42.1 IP)

GAME 3 - Sunday, April 16 // 12 p.m. CT // ESPN3 | Live Stats | Listen Free | 95.5 FM or 1300-AM in Carbondale

SIU LHP Joey Marciano (2-2, 5.00 ERA, 27.0 IP)
INS RHP Will Kincanon (2-3, 6.87 ERA, 36.2 IP)

AROUND THE HORN

Southern Illinois travels to Terre Haute, Ind., for a three-game series against the Sycamores. All three games will be streamed through The Valley on ESPN3.
SIU will be playing its third MVC series, and Indiana State will be playing its second. Both teams have played Evansville this year. The Salukis swept a three-game series against the Aces, and Indiana State won two of three.
SIU leads the all-time series, 94-79.
The Trees won two of three in Carbondale last year. The road team has won the series in each of the last three years. Indiana State also won two of three in 2014, while the Salukis took two of three the last time the teams played in Terre Haute (2015).
Southern Illinois has turned 37 double plays this year, which ranks sixth in the NCAA and leads the MVC by nine.
Since the start of the 2015 season, SIU has turned 152 double plays in 149 games, which leads the MVC in that span. Will Farmer has started all 152 games in the middle infield.
SIU closer Netemeyer ranks second in the NCAA with 11 saves this season. He leads the MVC by five saves.
SIU's single-season saves record is 13 by Al Levine in 1990. Netemeyer had 12 saves last year, which rank second in SIU single-season history. His 11 saves this season are already tied for third in SIU single-season history.
Netemeyer's 24 career saves...
- Rank second in SIU career history. (Bryant George (2007-10) holds the career record with 30.)
- Rank eighth among active players in Division I baseball (and second among juniors).
Michael Baird posted a 1.76 ERA in 2016, the best mark for any returning starter in the NCAA. In his last 163 innings, Baird's ERA is 1.93.
Nick Hutchins was added to the Johnny Bench Award Watch List. The Johnny Bench Award is given annually to the nation's top catcher.
The Salukis have stolen 57 bases already in 2017, which is nearly twice as many as any other MVC school (Bradley is second with 30). SIU ranks 15th nationally in steals.
Last year, Southern stole 38 bases in 57 games. This year, the Salukis have stolen 57 bases in the first 34 games.
Connor Kopach (19), Ryan Smith (11) and Greg Lambert (8) give SIU three of the top six base stealers in the MVC.
Kopach ranks fifth nationally in stolen bases. Kopach is coming off a summer in which he set a Northwoods League record for stolen bases with 50. He has been on base in all 34 games this season (33 safely and one by dropped third strike).
Freshman Addison Fugitt missed the first 33 games of the year with a hand injury. In his first collegiate game on Tuesday vs. SEMO, Fugitt went 2-for-2 with a walk and a run scored.

MVC LEADERS

Connor Kopach in stolen bases (19)
Ryan Sabo in sacrifice bunts (5)
Greg Lambert in sacrifice flies (4)
Michael Baird in innings pitched (54.1)
Ryan Netemeyer in saves (11)
Team in stolen bases (57)
Team in saves (13)
Team in double plays (37)

#RUNWITHUS

Southern Illinois has stolen 57 bases this year in 34 games. That leads the MVC (by 27 steals) and ranks 15th nationally.
Already, SIU has stolen the most bases for the program since 2006 (67 steals).
The 2017 Salukis will almost certainly be the first SIU team to eclipse 70 stolen bases since 1991 (109 steals).
Connor Kopach leads the MVC and ranks fifth nationally with 19 stolen bases.
This past summer, Kopach set a Northwoods League record with 50 stolen bases.
Kopach (19), Ryan Smith (11) and Greg Lambert (8) give SIU three of the top six base stealers in the MVC.
Everybody who has played in more than six games has attempted at least one stolen base, except Logan Blackfan.
Last year, SIU stole 38 bags total.