Friday, May 4
Carbondale, Ill.
6:30 p.m.
Southern Illinois University
vs
Indiana State
Photo by: Will Becque
Salukis host Sycamores on Alumni Weekend
05/03/2018 | 3:53:00 | Baseball
INDIANA STATE (22-19, 4-8 MVC) at SOUTHERN ILLINOIS (24-21, 7-5 MVC) // May 4-6, 2018 // Carbondale, Ill. (Weather) // Itchy Jones Stadium (2,000 // Turf) // SIU Game Notes PDF
Southern Illinois hosts Indiana State for a three-game series this weekend at Itchy Jones Stadium. The Sycamores and Salukis were picked Nos. 3 and 4 in the preseason MVC poll.
GAME 1 - Friday, May 4 // 6:30 p.m. // Listen Online | TuneIn | Stats | 105.1-FM WVZA
SIU RHP Michael Baird (4-3, 2.99 ERA, 75.1 IP)
INS LHP Tristan Weaver (2-3, 5.40 ERA, 43.1 IP)
GAME 2 - Friday, May 5 // 4 p.m. // Listen Online | TuneIn | Stats | 95.5-FM or 1300-AM in southern Illinois
SIU LHP Jamison Steege (4-3, 5.04 ERA, 64.1 IP)
INS LHP Triston Polley (5-2, 3.93 ERA, 68.2 IP)
GAME 3 - Friday, May 6 // 1 p.m. // Listen Online | TuneIn | Stats | 95.5-FM or 1300-AM in southern Illinois
SIU LHP Brad Harrison (5-3, 3.53 ERA, 63.2 IP)
INS LHP Weston Rivers (2-0, 1.64 ERA, 22.0 IP)
Southern Illinois hosts Indiana State for a three-game series this weekend at Itchy Jones Stadium. The Sycamores and Salukis were picked Nos. 3 and 4 in the preseason MVC poll.
GAME 1 - Friday, May 4 // 6:30 p.m. // Listen Online | TuneIn | Stats | 105.1-FM WVZA
SIU RHP Michael Baird (4-3, 2.99 ERA, 75.1 IP)
INS LHP Tristan Weaver (2-3, 5.40 ERA, 43.1 IP)
GAME 2 - Friday, May 5 // 4 p.m. // Listen Online | TuneIn | Stats | 95.5-FM or 1300-AM in southern Illinois
SIU LHP Jamison Steege (4-3, 5.04 ERA, 64.1 IP)
INS LHP Triston Polley (5-2, 3.93 ERA, 68.2 IP)
GAME 3 - Friday, May 6 // 1 p.m. // Listen Online | TuneIn | Stats | 95.5-FM or 1300-AM in southern Illinois
SIU LHP Brad Harrison (5-3, 3.53 ERA, 63.2 IP)
INS LHP Weston Rivers (2-0, 1.64 ERA, 22.0 IP)
AROUND THE HORN
- Southern Illinois hosts Indiana State on alumni weekend for a three-game series at Itchy Jones Stadium.
- Since March 5, Southern Illinois is 20-5 against unranked opponents.
- Logan Blackfan had his 21-game hitting streak snapped last weekend at Evansville, the longest for an SIU player since Chris Serritella had a 24-game hitting streak in 2012.
- Blackfan's 21-game hitting streak is tied for the fourth-longest hitting streak in SIU history.
- Connor Kopach was named to the watch list for the Brooks Wallace Award, given to the nation's top shortstop.
- Alex Lyon is the reigning MVC Player of the Week. Lyon was 7-for-14 with two doubles, a triple, 5 RBIs and four stolen bases last week in SIU's sweep at Evansville.
- In the last 19 games, SIU is 39-for-43 stealing bases (91 percent).
- Nikola Vasic has reached base in 42 of the last 43 games. He had a 27-game reached base streak snapped against Valpo, but has followed that up by reaching base in 15-straight games.
- Ryan Netemeyer has 36 career saves, which is second all-time in MVC history. His 36th career save (Saturday at Evansville) broke a tie with Missouri State's Bryan Young (2014-17).
- SIU ranks fourth nationally in stolen bases with 107.
- Among active players, Connor Kopach ranks second nationally in career stolen bases (76), and Logan Blackfan ranks third in career doubles (66).
SALUKIS BACK AT HOME TO HOST INDIANA STATE
- Southern Illinois hosts Indiana State for a three-game series at Itchy Jones Stadium.
- SIU leads the all-time series, 95-81.
- Indiana State was picked third in the preseason MVC coaches poll. The Salukis were picked fourth.
- The Sycamores very nearly have two series victories over top-25 teams. In 2-1 series defeats, Indiana State lost a 9-1 lead to No. 23 Dallas Baptist and a 2-1 lead at No. 24 Louisville. Both games would have won the series for Indiana State.
- Indiana State has won five of the last seven series between the schools. Both SIU series wins were in Terre Haute.
- SIU's last series win against Indiana State in Carbondale came in 2008.
- Southern Illinois is at home for a weekend for the first time in a month -- Southern's last home weekend series came April 6-8 vs. Valpo.
ARMING UP
- In last week's series sweep at Evansville, Southern's three starters combined for a 1.35 ERA, allowing just three earned runs in 20 innings.
- Michael Baird led the staff with a complete-game shutout on Friday with a career-high 12 strikeouts.
- In SIU's wins, the four-man starting rotation (including mid-week starter Dylan Givens) has a 1.98 ERA in 136.2 innings.
- Baird had two tough outings this season -- the season opener at Jacksonville State and vs. No. 24 Illinois.
- In his other nine starts, Baird has a 1.80 ERA in 65 innings with 60 strikeouts against just 11 walks.
- SIU starters have piled up 18 quality starts this season (6+ IP, 3 or fewer ER), compared to opposing pitchers accumulating just nine quality starts against SIU.
- Brad Harrison is a three-time MVC Pitcher of the Week.
- All four starters in SIU's rotation have at least one stretch of 10+ consecutive scoreless innings this season.
RUN WITH US
- SIU has stolen 107 bases through 45 games, which ranks fourth nationally. Already, SIU has stolen the fifth-most bases in SIU history.
- 1971 (139)
- 1975 (135)
- 1981 (119)
- 1991 (109)
- 2018 (107)
- Since the start of the 2017 season, SIU has 207 stolen bases. Missouri State is second in the MVC during that span with 109.
- In the last 35 games, SIU is 86-for-100 stealing bases.
- Connor Kopach ranks 12th in the nation with 25 stolen bases. Alex Lyon ranks 16th with 24 steals.
- Alex Lyon tied an SIU single-game record with four stolen bases against Austin Peay. Kopach also holds that record, having stolen four bases against Tennessee Tech last year.
- Four of the top six base stealers in the MVC are Salukis: Kopach (25) is first, Alex Lyon (24) is second, Nikola Vasic (17) is fourth and Addison Fugitt (15) is sixth.
ACTIVE STREAKS & NOTES
- Nikola Vasic has reached base in 42 of the last 43 games. He had a 27-game reached base streak snapped against Valpo, and has followed that up by reaching base in 15-straight games.
- Logan Blackfan had a 21-game hitting streak snapped last weekend at Evansville, the longest for an SIU player since Chris Serritella had a 24-game streak in 2012.
- Blackfan's hitting streak was the fourth-longest fourth-longest in SIU history.
- Blackfan has reached base in 42 of 45 games.
- Since March 5, SIU is 20-5 against unranked teams.
SALUKI SENIORS AMONG ACTIVE LEADERS IN NCAA DIVISION I
- Four SIU seniors -- Michael Baird, Logan Blackfan, Connor Kopach and Ryan Netemeyer -- have been among the best in the country at their respective roles for the duration of their careers. Among active Division I players...
- Michael Baird ranks 6th in innings pitched.
- Logan Blackfan ranks 3rd in doubles and 17th in RBIs.
- Connor Kopach ranks 2nd in stolen bases and fourth in triples.
- Ryan Netemeyer ranks 3rd in saves.
- Kopach and Blackfan also rank among the national leaders in career games (12th / 22nd) and at-bats (11th / 18th).
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