Softball hosts Illinois State in big weekend series

Saturday, March 24

Carbondale, Ill.

2:00 p.m.

Southern Illinois University

Illinois State University

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03/23/2018 | 11:38:00 | Softball

By: Tony McDaniel, SIUSalukis.com

Game Notes (PDF)

Saluki Softball (17-10, 2-1 MVC) hosts Illinois State (9-21, 0-3) in what could prove to be an important matchup later in the season for MVC Tournament seeding. Illinois State was picked as the preseason favorite to win the Valley by its coaches. This game is also a rematch of the 2017 MVC Tournament semi-final, a game which Southern won 2-0 on Illinois State's home field. Senior Savannah Dover threw 6.1 innings of scoreless softball, struck out seven and walked two in that game. This series also showcases two of the winningest coaches in MVC history. Redbird skipper Melinda Fisher leads the MVC in wins with 1,012. SIU coach Kerri Blaylock is third in the Valley all-time with 645 wins.

Schedule note: The doubleheader originally scheduled for noon on Saturday has been moved back to a 2 p.m. start due to rain in the forecast.

Media Links

Saturday - Blackout Cancer Games.
The Salukis will black on Saturday as part of SIU and Southern Illinois Healthcare's Blackout Cancer promotion. Fans are encouraged to wear black as well. Saluki Hall of Famer, former football coach and current special assistant to the chancellor, Jerry Kill, will throw out the first pitch.

Notes

So far...

The Salukis are 17-10 on the season and are outscoring opponents 131-89.
The Salukis had 11 home runs through the first 8 games, the most through as many games since 2003.
On Feb. 17, Southern beat Georgetown 13-4. It was the biggest win and most runs scored in a five-inning game since March 14, 2017 when SIU defeated Southern Utah 14-2.
Southern short-gamed opponents in back-to-back games against Murray State on March 4 and Delaware State on March 9. It was the first time the Salukis had done so since March 12 and March 14 of 2017 when they did it to Portland State and Southern Utah.

Milestone/Record watch...

Southern's long time head coach Kerri Blaylock is approaching several big career records and milestones.

As of 3/23 she is...

The all-time leader in wins at SIU with 644. She passed Kay Brechtelsbauer with her 634th on Feb. 23 against UConn.
Managed her 1,000th game against UT-Martin on March 14 in a 2-1 win.
She is 6 wins from her 300th in MVC play. She will be the third coach in Conference history to win that many games.
Nationally Ranked Statistically

(Top-50 only)

Maddy Vermejan is 11th in the nation in hit by pitch per game. She's been hit 12 times in 27 games, an average on 0.44.
Brianna Jones has won 14 games this year; good for fourth in the nation.
Brianna Jones has struck out 103 batters this year, good for 35th in the nation.
Katelyn Massa is 24th in the nation in RBI with 31 and 32nd in RBI per game at 1.15 per.

MVC Leading Salukis...

Vermejan is tops in the Valley in hit by pitch per game with 0.44 per game.
Vermejan leads the league in runs per game at 0.89.
Brianna Jones leads the Conference in wins with 12.
Katelyn Massa leads the league in RBI with 31.
Massa leads the league in doubles per game at 0.33.
Massa's 57 total bases are a league best.

Starting Fast...

The Salukis are 13-0 this season when they score first, 8-1 when they score in the first inning and 7-0 when leading after one inning. Adversely, the team is 1-4 when trailing after the first inning and 3-6 when allowing runs in the first inning.

Sophomore slump?

Sophomore Katelyn Massa leads the team in RBI (31), home runs (6), doubles (9), slugging percentage (.713) and walks (15). She's struck out just four times in 80 at-bats.
She has already surpassed her 2017 numbers in doubles, home runs, RBI and runs scored.
Massa is on pace to challenge the single-season program record in RBI. The record is 51. She has 31 with 27 regular-season games to play and the MVC Tournament.
This year sophomore Maddy Vermejan has already hit two home runs and earned 13 RBI. She leads the team in runs scored with 24.
In all of 2016, she had just 20 RBI and didn't hit a round-tripper.

Ace in the hole...

Saluki junior Brianna Jones is off to a fantastic start to the 2018 season.
Jones is 14-1 with 103 strikeouts, 23 walks and 12 complete games, three of which have been shutouts. She currently has an ERA of 1.79.
Jones earned the Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week Award on March 12 for her performance at the USF Under Armour Showcase after going 3-0 with 23 strikeouts, four walks, three complete games and holding opposing hitters to a batting average of .181.
Twice this year she has struck out 10 hitters. She did so once against Mercer on 2/16 and again against Maine on 3/11.

Scouting Illinois State...

The Redbirds were picked to win the MVC prior to the start of the season, but have started off 9-21 and 0-3 in the MVC. Illinois State played a very tough non-conference schedule, facing 10 nationally ranked teams.
In their last 10, Illinois State is 1-9 and have dropped seven-straight.
Illinois State has a team batting average of .198 and one hitter batting over .300.
Illinois State's team ERA is 4.33. Sarah Finck leads the team in appearances with 16 and has 3.49 ERA.
SIU and Illinois State met four times last year and the Salukis took 3 out of 4 games. The last match up came in the MVC Tournament Semi-Finals, which SIU won 2-0 in the 8th inning. Savannah Dover struck out 7 and allowed 4 hits in the win.