2018 Season Preview

The 2018 Southern Illinois baseball team will feature a cast of experience, accomplished veterans mixed with exciting newcomers.

"This group of guys takes care of business and practices extremely hard," head coach Ken Henderson said. "We're a very fast club, the fastest club I think I've coached in 34 years. I think that leads to an exciting brand of baseball. We will fly around the park, steal some bases, and move the baseball offensively. Our pitching staff should throw a lot of strikes and allow our outstanding defense to make plays behind them."

The Salukis were picked fourth in the preseason MVC poll. Seniors Michael Baird, Connor Kopach and Ryan Netemeyer were all named to the preseason All-MVC team.

PITCHERS

Baird and Netemeyer anchor the 15-man Saluki pitching staff. Baird enters his third season as a starting pitcher and is expected to move into the Friday night role. He led the MVC in ERA in 2016 and was named All-MVC that year. Netemeyer led the MVC in saves last year with 15 and comes into his senior season just two saves shy of Southern's school record for career saves.

"We feel really good about the front and the back ends of staff with Michael and Ryan," Henderson said. "The big question mark is who will step up to fill those other starting roles."

Jamison Steege and Alex Gutermuth lead a crop of second-year Salukis with an opportunity to make big contributions in 2018. Steege, a senior after transferring from Kirkwood College, moved into a starter role at the end of last year and went 2-2 with a 5.18 ERA. He pitched his best at the end of the season, throwing seven shutout innings in a 5-0 win over Illinois State. Gutermuth led Southern in ERA as a freshman, posting a 3.20 ERA in 20 appearances out of the bullpen.

Henry Boeckmann, Brad Harrison Allen Montgomery and Justin Yeager all contributed in their first seasons in maroon in 2017. Montgomery is the hardest thrower on the team, touching 95 mph with his fastball. Boeckmann, Harrison and Yeager all earned time as freshmen in 2017. The quartet combined to throw 66.2 innings last year and will have bigger roles in 2018.

Mason Hiser, Hunter Hart, and Dylan Givens are three transfers to join the staff. Hiser comes to SIU from Barton College, where he posted a 3.34 ERA and 102 strikeouts as a sophomore in 2017. Hart was with the team in 2017 but sat out due to NCAA transfer rules after transferring from Arkansas. Givens is a sophomore transfer from John A. Logan, where he went 4-1 in 16 appearances last season.

Noah Farmer, Nolan Johnson, and Trey McDaniel are freshmen in 2018. Farmer has flashed starter potential, and both McDaniel and Johnson have the ability to make significant and immediate impacts.

"Overall, this staff has much more quality depth than in past years," Henderson said. "Hiser will more than likely be a weekend starter and we have several guys, including Farmer, Steege, Harrison, Givens and Hart, that could start games. Montgomery, Boeckmann and Yeager have had success at this level; and Johnson, although just a freshman, can really pitch. We are very confident with the back end guys, especially with Gutermuth and McDaniel handing the ball to Netemeyer."

INFIELDERS

Logan Blackfan and Connor Kopach each enter their fourth season as starters on the Saluki infield. Blackfan already holds the school record for doubles in a career, and Kopach led the MVC in stolen bases last season and will move over to shortstop for his senior year.

"Infield play should once again be a strength for us, especially with more depth and flexibility than in years past," Henderson said. "Kopach is an outstanding defender and should have no issues sliding over to shortstop. Blackfan has anchored first base for three years and is a really good glove guy."

Drew Curtis and Hunter Anderson are both experienced seniors. Curtis, who is in his third season at SIU after transferring from Saint Louis, has started 26 of 29 games played over two seasons while battling injuries. Anderson has 61 career starts at designated hitter and has 14 doubles, 7 home runs and 27 RBIs in his SIU career. Curtis has also worked with the SIU pitching staff and could make an impact as a bullpen arm.

Nikola Vasic and Grey Epps are expected to battle for the second base spot. Vasic transferred from McHenry County College, and Epps is a freshman from Clarksville, Tenn. Chuck Fleming gives SIU depth in the middle infield during his sophomore season. Epps and J.T. Weber are exciting freshmen who could play immediately at third base. In addition to his pitching duties, Brad Harrison earned at-bats as a freshman in 2017 and gives Southern the potential for another left-handed bat in the lineup.

"Vasic and Epps can play anywhere and both are outstanding defenders," Henderson said. "Fleming can provide solid depth at second base, and Weber has all the tools you look for in a true third baseman. Anderson and Curtis could also give us good options at first base should we want to keep a right-handed bat in the lineup."

OUTFIELDERS

Southern lost all three starting outfielders from last year, but the Salukis have depth to replace those spots in 2018. Addison Fugitt missed most of his freshman season with an injury but hit .324 down the stretch after returning. Jared Kengott also earned time in nine games last season as a freshman and has a power bat and a power arm.

Alex Lyon, a transfer from Volunteer State Community College, can play outfield or infield for SIU in 2018. He hit .356 over two seasons at Volunteer State. Kenton Crawford is another transfer to the Saluki outfield, having earned All-Region and All-Conference recognition at Mineral Area College last season.

Brad Hudson and Stephen Mogged are freshmen. Hudson has outstanding speed, having run a 6.2 second 60-yard dash. Mogged was an All-Conference player at Lakes Community High School and earned a Gold Glove award.

"This is one area that could be really exciting due to the athleticism we will put out there," Henderson said. "Crawford and Fugitt are both really physical and extremely fast and can play all three outfield spots. Moving Lyon to left field allows us to get another plus runner out there and a quality bat in the lineup. Kengott has the best arm and most pop of all the outfielders and could eventually be a middle of the order bat. Hudson and Mogged are also good athletes with bright futures."

CATCHERS

Last year's starting catcher, Nick Hutchins, was taken in the 2017 MLB draft, leaving an opportunity for Mitch Fairfield and Austin Ulick. Fairfield started 10 games last year in relief of Hutchins and hit .259 as a freshman. Ulick, a sophomore, is a transfer from Illinois Central College, where he hit .304 with 7 doubles and 29 doubles last season.

"Although this is an area with not a lot of Division I experience, these guys are extremely capable," Henderson said. "Austin is the guy we picked up to replace Nick. He has had success at the Juco level and can really throw. Mitch continues to make great strides and is developing into a quality defender."

SCHEDULE

The Salukis have 27 home games on their 56-game 2018 schedule. The season opener is Feb. 16 at Jacksonville State.

Southern's non-conference slate is challenging. In addition to the Gamecocks, who have five-straight winning seasons, SIU faces UC Irvine, Illinois, Tennessee Tech and North Florida.

Irvine made the College World Series in 2014, and Illinois was a Super Regional host in 2015. Tennessee Tech won 41 games last year and beat Florida State in the NCAA Tournament, and North Florida has won nearly 70 percent of its games over the last three seasons.

"It's exciting and challenging," Henderson said. "Scheduling is not an easy thing to do; but I believe the quality of our non-conference opponents will put us in a position to make the NCAA Tournament if we take care of business."

Southern's home opener is March 2 vs. Louisiana Monroe, and the MVC opener is March 30 at Illinois State. The Salukis welcome MVC newcomer Valparaiso to Carbondale April 6-8.

Four of Southern's seven MVC series are on the road, including two series against the league's top-two in the preseason poll.

Dallas Baptist is nationally ranked and the preseason favorite, and Missouri State is picked second after advancing to a Super Regional in two of the last three years. SIU goes to DBU April 13-15 and to Missouri State May 11-13. Dallas Baptist is also hosting the MVC Tournament May 23-26.

COACHES

Head coach Ken Henderson is in his eighth season at the helm of the Saluki Baseball program, and P.J. Finigan returns for his eighth season as the program's pitching coach. Finigan was promoted to Associate Head Coach prior to the 2018 season.

Together, Henderson and Finigan have transformed Saluki Baseball into a perennial contender in the conference. The Salukis have an opportunity to finish in the top-four in the MVC for a third-straight season, which has only happened one other time at SIU in the last 30 years (2002-05; when Finigan was playing at SIU).

Seth LaRue enters his first season as Southern's hitting coach. LaRue was SIU's volunteer assistant last season and helped implement the SIU running game that saw the program steal its most bases in a season since 1991.

Ryan Bertram takes over for LaRue as the team's volunteer assistant. Bertram won a national championship as a player at Southern Indiana. Former SIU star pitcher Cody Forsythe returns to Carbondale to serve as the program's student assistant and assist Coach Finigan with the pitching staff.

Calendar

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Players Mentioned

Hunter Anderson

Michael Baird

Logan Blackfan

Henry Boeckmann

Kenton Crawford

Drew Curtis

Grey Epps

Mitch Fairfield

Noah Farmer

Chuck Fleming

Addison Fugitt

Dylan Givens

Alex Gutermuth

Brad Harrison

Hunter Hart

Mason Hiser

Brad Hudson

Nick Hutchins

Nolan Johnson

Jared Kengott

Connor Kopach

Alex Lyon

Trey McDaniel

Stephen Mogged

Allen Montgomery

Ryan Netemeyer

Jamison Steege

Austin Ulick

Nikola Vasic

J.T. Weber

Justin Yeager

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