Friday, March 26
Carbondale, Ill.
6 p.m.
Southern Illinois University
vs
Little Rock
Photo by: Will Becque
#22 SIU hosts Little Rock at Itchy Jones Stadium
03/25/2021 | 3:51:00 | Baseball
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The No. 22-ranked SIU baseball team hosts Little Rock for a three-game series this weekend at Itchy Jones Stadium. Games will start at 6 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. on Saturday, and 1 p.m. on Sunday. Little Rock swept Texas State, which was the preseason Sun Belt West favorites, last weekend. The Trojans have won 8 of their last 11 games coming into Carbondale. SIU, ranked No. 22 nationally by Collegiate Baseball, have the most wins in the nation, tied with 18-4 Tennessee.Â
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STARTING PITCHERS
Friday, March 26 (6 p.m.) » SIU RHP Mike Hansell (2-0, 4.07 ERA, 24.1 IP) vs. LR RHP Aaron Funk (0-2, 4.56 ERA, 23.2 IP)
Saturday, March 27 (2 p.m.) » SIU RHP Ben Chapman (5-0, 1.21 ERA, 23.2 IP) vs. LR RHP Hayden Arnold (2-2, 4.88 ERA, 24.0 IP)
Sunday, March 28 (1 p.m.) » SIU LHP Brad Harrison (3-0, 4.32 ERA, 25.0 IP) vs. LR LHP Jack DeCooman (0-1, 4.76 ERA, 22.2 IP)
MOST WINS IN THE NATION (THROUGH MARCH 24 GAMES)
t1.) SIU (18-1) and Tennessee (18-4)
t3.) Ole Miss (17-4) and Mississippi State (17-4)
t5.) LSU (16-5), Florida (16-5), Texas Tech (16-4), East Carolina (16-4), Vanderbilt (16-3), and Arkansas (16-3)
MOST STOLEN BASES IN THE MVC, SINCE 2017
1.) SIU (454)
2.) Dallas Baptist (260)
3.) Missouri State (188)
For a complete set of game notes in PDF format, click here.
Follow » Live Stats | Listen
STARTING PITCHERS
Friday, March 26 (6 p.m.) » SIU RHP Mike Hansell (2-0, 4.07 ERA, 24.1 IP) vs. LR RHP Aaron Funk (0-2, 4.56 ERA, 23.2 IP)
Saturday, March 27 (2 p.m.) » SIU RHP Ben Chapman (5-0, 1.21 ERA, 23.2 IP) vs. LR RHP Hayden Arnold (2-2, 4.88 ERA, 24.0 IP)
Sunday, March 28 (1 p.m.) » SIU LHP Brad Harrison (3-0, 4.32 ERA, 25.0 IP) vs. LR LHP Jack DeCooman (0-1, 4.76 ERA, 22.2 IP)
AROUND THE HORN
- #22 SIU hosts Little Rock for a three-game series at Itchy Jones Stadium this weekend. The series begins an 12-game home stand for the Salukis.
- SIU leads the nation in wins this season with 18 (tied with 18-4 Tennessee). Little Rock has rebounded from a 1-4 start to the season, winning eight of its last 11 games, including a win at Auburn. Little Rock just swept Texas State last weekend, and Texas State was the preseason pick to win the Sun Belt West division. Little Rock's Friday night starter, Aaron Funk, was the 2021 preseason Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year.
- The NCAA released the first official RPI report of the season on Thursday. The Salukis were ranked #7 nationally in the RPI.Â
- SIU is ranked in the most recent Collegiate Baseball Top-30 poll for a third-straight week. SIU broke into the rankings at #25 and fell to #27 after suffering its only loss of the season. After sweeping Marshall last weekend, SIU improved to #22 this week. Prior to this year, SIU's last known recorded national ranking was in 1990, when Itchy Jones 49-14 Salukis finished the season ranked #14 by Baseball America and #16 by Collegiate Baseball.
- The Salukis were the only team in the nation that reached a 14-0 record this season. Fairfield and Navy remain undefeated but each has played just four games.
- Dawg Bites: SIU is 23-1 in its last 24 games, dating back to last season ... SIU leads the MVC in both runs scored and ERA ... After Wednesday's win at SEMO, SIU has won 6-straight true road games dating back to last year, the second-longest active road winning streak in the nation.
- Magic at The Itch: SIU is 11-1 at home this season ... SIU's March 14 loss to Evansville snapped a 13-game home field winning streak ... SIU is 16-1 at home under head coach Lance Rhodes ... The Salukis are 47-14 in their last 61 home games, which dates back to 2018.
- SIU ranks second in the nation in home runs with 35 (LSU has hit 37). Other national ranks (of 287 teams):
- 2nd in runs scored (178) Â Â
- 3rd in team batting average (.329)
- 3rd in slugging percentage (.561)
- 4th in hits (217)Â Â
- 4th in on-base percentage (.430)
- 10th in stolen bases (35)
- 14th in doubles (42)
- SIU individuals that lead the MVC (national rank in parentheses):
- Tristan Peters in walks (16, 39th)
- Peters in batting average (.451, 27th)
- Peters in doubles (8, 16th)
- Peters in hits (32, 7th)
- Peters in on-base percentage (.545, 35th)
- Ian Walters in HBP (8, 15th)
- Walters in stolen bases (8, 32nd)
- Vinni Massaglia and J.T. Weber in home runs (7, 23rd)
- Trey McDaniel in pitching appearances (10, 27th)
- McDaniel in saves (5, 4th)
- Nick Neville in runs scored (24, 14th)
- Philip Archer in RBIs (26, 12th)
- Archer in total bases (53, 21st)
- J.T. Weber in sac flies (3, 14th)
- Grey Epps in triples (2, 29th)
- Ben Chapman in pitching wins (5, 1st)
MOST WINS IN THE NATION (THROUGH MARCH 24 GAMES)
t1.) SIU (18-1) and Tennessee (18-4)
t3.) Ole Miss (17-4) and Mississippi State (17-4)
t5.) LSU (16-5), Florida (16-5), Texas Tech (16-4), East Carolina (16-4), Vanderbilt (16-3), and Arkansas (16-3)
MOST STOLEN BASES IN THE MVC, SINCE 2017
1.) SIU (454)
2.) Dallas Baptist (260)
3.) Missouri State (188)
For a complete set of game notes in PDF format, click here.
Players Mentioned
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