Salukis host SEMO on Tuesday

The Southern Illinois University softball team returns to Charlotte West Stadium on Tuesday, March 16 for a midweek non-conference matchup against the SEMO Redhawks. The Salukis improved to 17-2 on the year after it blanked Samford, 3-0, on Sunday, while the Redhawks have won four-straight and five of their last six games heading into Tuesday's clash. FIrst ptich is set for 3 p.m.

All-time vs. SEMO

• SIU leads the all-time series 71-23-1 in a rivalry that dates back to 1976.
• The Salukis are 24-3 all-time against the Redhawks under 20th-year head coach Kerri Blaylock.
• Southern has won four-straight over the Redhawks.

Scouting the Redhawks

• SEMO's 7-9 record is deceiving, as they are 0-7 this season against SEC opponents. They have since won four-straight, and five of their last six games.
• The Redhawks were picked to win the OVC in the 2021 OVC Preseason Poll.
• SEMO is averaging 3.69 runs per game and holds a team ERA of 4.08.

Getting it done in non-conference play

• Southern holds a .894 winning percentage (17-2) in non-conference play this season.
• With three more non-conference games on the schedule, SIU has a chance to break the school record for the best regular season non-conference winning percentage in program history. (Note: excludes MVC/NCAA Tournament games)
• Southern needs to go at least 2-1 in its final three non-conference games this season to break the record.
• Only three Saluki teams have finished a season with a non-conference winning percentage above .800- the 1991, 2003 and 2006 teams. All three advanced to a NCAA Regional.
• In fact, of the 10 times that the Salukis have finished a regular season with a .739 non-conference winning percentage or better, they have advanced to postseason play in eight of those seasons.
• The 2020 team posted a .761 non-conference winning percentage only to see the remainder of the season cancelled due to COVID-19.
• The 1993 team (.760) missed out the NCAA Tournament but did advance to the NIC Tournament, where they went 2-1.
• The 2009 team (.782) has the highest non-conference winning percentage for a Saluki team that didn't advance to the postseason.

So long, old friend

• Southern's school-record 25-game win streak came to a halt on Saturday after the Salukis dropped a pair of games by a total of three runs.
• It broke the previous school record for longest win streak of 23 games, set during the 1991 season.
• The Salukis went 31-1 and 393 days between consecutive losses.
• Southern's 16-0 start, meanwhile, was its best-ever to begin a season.

More about the hot start

• Southern's program record 16-0 start to the season is all the more impressive when you consider that SIU has used a multitude of different lineups with a mix of seasoned veterans and relative newcomers.
• 11 of SIU's 19 players have played in fewer than 37 career games and Southern has, at times, started four freshmen this season.
• In fact, freshmen accounted for nearly a fourth (27-of-110) of SIU's hits and more than a fourth (25-of-89) of Southern's runs scored during its best-ever start.
• In the circle, Southern leads the MVC with a 1.66 ERA despite being comprised of three underclassmen with between 9-28 career appearances.

Streaking at Charlotte West Stadium

• Southern has won 20-straight home games dating back to the 2019 season.
• SIU's last loss at home came on May 4, 2019.
• SIU's 20-game home win streak is the third-longest in the nation. Drake's 28-game home win streak is the longest.
• The school record for longest home win streak is 43 games, set between 1990-92.

Fielding at a high level

• The Salukis are once again ranked in the Top-20 nationally for fielding percentage. Southern ranks 17th with a .980 fielding percentage.
• Southern had its errorless streak halted at 63 innings against Samford on March 14.
• The Salukis finished the 2020 season ranked 12th in NCAA DI in fielding percentage with a .977 fielding percentage. SIU's 14 errors were the fewest of any Valley team.
• It marked the third time in the last five seasons that Southern has finished in the top-15 in the nation in fielding percentage.
• SIU finished seventh in 2017 and fourth in 2019.
• Southern is the only non-Power 5 school to finish Top-15 nationally in fielding percentage in three of the last five seasons.
• The only other programs to finish Top-15 nationally in three of the last five seasons are: Florida, Michigan, Oklahoma and Washington.

Turning Two

• The Salukis have turned 14 double plays in 19 games (.74/game) this season.
• Southern ranks sixth nationally in double plays per game.
• SIU has turned more double plays already in 2021 than it did in 49 games in 2019 (12).

Taking free passes

• The Salukis lead the nation in total walks with 96.
• Southern drew a season-high 12 walks in its win over Ball State on March 12.
• SIU has drawn at least three walks in all 19 games this season.
• Not surprisingly, Southern ranks second in the Valley, and 35th nationally, with a .398 on-base percentage.

Setting the table

• Maddy Vermejan leads the Valley, and ranks 20th nationally with a .603 on-base percentage.
• Vermejan has reached base in 17 of SIU's 19 games this season. She's walked in 16 of Southern's 19 games and tallied at least one hit in 12 games this season.
• Vermejan's .472 career on-base percentage ranks second to Shaye Harre (.476) and is the highest for a right-handed hitter in program history.
• Vermejan's .84 walks per game lead the Valley.

Taking one for the team

• Maddy Vermejan has been hit by 70 pitches in her career- which is the most among active DI players.
• Vermejan's 70 hit by pitches rank second to Allie Vadeboncouer for most in school history. Vadeboncouer was plunked 71 times during her career.

At the top of their class
• Madi Eberle leads all Valley freshmen, and ranks fourth nationally amongst true freshmen, in wins (6).
• She also leads all Valley freshmen in walks allowed per seven innings (1.12).
• Bailey Caylor, meanwhile, leads all Valley freshmen with a .350 batting average.

Leading from the circle
• Southern leads the Valley in both earned run average (1.66) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.83).
• The Salukis rank 14th nationally in strikeout-to-walk ratio and rank 27th in the nation in Team ERA.
• Harness ranks second in the league in strikeout-to-walk ratio (7.44), third in strikeouts (62) and third in walks allowed per seven innings (1.04).
• SIU has finished second in ERA in both 2019 and 2020. Southern last finished with an ERA under two in 2007. The 2007 season marked the final year of an 11-year stretch in which the Salukis posted a team ERA below two.

Head of the Class

SIU ranks top-2 in the Valley in a slew of statistical categories.

1st - Earned run average - 1.66

1st - Double Plays per game - .74

1st - Fielding percentage - .980

1st - Strikeout to walk ratio - 4.83

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Bailey Caylor

Madi Eberle

Maddy Vermejan

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