Saturday, April 22
Terre Haute, IN
1 PM
Southern Illinois University
at
Indiana St.
Salukis Travel to No. 22 Indiana State for Key Series
04/21/2023 | 10:25:00 | Baseball
CARBONDALE, Ill. – Southern Illinois is set for a pivotal series on the road at nationally ranked Indiana State this weekend in Terre Haute. The Sycamores enter the weekend ranked No. 22 in the nation and hold a one-game lead over SIU in the Missouri Valley Conference standings.
SCHEDULE
Saturday - 1 PM - ESPN+
Sunday - 2 PM - ESPNU
Monday - 1 PM - ESPN+
HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG
Saluki Hall-of-Famer Mike Reis will have the call on SIUSalukis.com, the "Salukis" Mobile App on the App Store or Google Play Store, as well as the Varsity Sports Network App. The weekend series will air on ESPN+ on both Saturday and Monday with the middle game of the series being sent to a national audience on ESPNU. Live stats for the game are also available on SIUSalukis.com.
AROUND THE HORN
• Winners of nine of its last 10 games, SIU faces No. 22 Indiana State this weekend on the road.
• After taking two of three against Evansville last weekend at home, SIU has won 12-straight MVC weekend series dating back to the 2021 season.
• SIU leads the country in double plays turned (42) and is second in double plays turned per game (1.14).
• Southern is 3-1 in extra-inning games and has recorded five walk-off wins at home this season.
• SIU has five walk-off wins this season with the last coming in midweek action against Austin Peay.
• Two Salukis rank in the top-10 in the MVC in average (Nathan Bandy (.366), Pier-Olivier Boucher (.342)).
• Paul Bonzagni is 7-2 on the mound. His seven wins lead the MVC with the next closest having five.
• SIU leads the MVC in average (.289), hits (372), and is second in home runs (52).
• The Salukis have broken the single-season home run mark in the last two years (88-2022, 84-2021).
• The Salukis are 10-1 in games when they hit two or more home runs.
• Steven Loden leads SIU with 12 multi-RBI games. He has three four-RBI outings.
• SIU has committed just one error in conference play over 110 innings. Evansville is the next best with seven errors in MVC play. Indiana State has 11 errors in 12 league games entering the weekend.
• Southern is 44-of-54 on stolen base attempts -- ranking third in the MVC. Southern has stolen 21 bases in the last 13 games, going 21-for-24. Illinois State leads the MVC with 46 stolen bases.
THE SERIES & MATCHUP
• The Salukis lead the series with Indiana State 105-91 and have won four straight against the Sycamores and seven of the last 10 games in the series. Southern is 47-47 on the road against INS. The last time SIU played in Terre Haute came in 2021 when the Salukis took three of four.
• The Sycamores enter the series at 23-12 overall and are winners of their last 11 games. Indiana State is coming off a midweek win over No. 4 Vanderbilt on the road where they defeated the Commadores 10-2. Indiana State sits at No. 12 in the RPI according to WarrenNolen.com and has played the 22nd toughest schedule in the country, including the toughest nonconference slate in Division I.
• The Sycamores are hitting .261 as a team, led by outfielder Seth Gergely at .328. Mike Sears leads INS with 12 home runs in 25 games for a team-best .595 slugging percentage. The Trees are 25-34 on stolen base attempts, led by Gergely who is 10-for-12. Indiana State holds a 4.45 combined team ERA with four pitchers under a four ERA led by reliever Cameron Holycross who has allowed just four earned runs in 26 innings. Right-hander and the Trees No. 1 starter Matt Jachec holds a 4-2 record, a 3.25 ERA and has struck out 57 while issuing just nine walks in 52.2 innings. The Sycamores have struck out 305 batters while walking only 133 in 315.1 total innings.
SALUKIS VS NATIONALLY RANKED TEAMS
• The Salukis are facing their first ranked opponent since the 2020 season (No. 18 Arizona - L, 6-5) this weekend at No. 22 Indiana State. SIU is 29-73 against ranked teams since the 2002 season with 15 of those wins coming on the road. It's the first time SIU has faced Indiana State while the Sycamores have been ranked in the modern era.
UP NEXT
Southern will travel to SEMO on Tuesday to close a season series with the Redhawks.
FOLLOW THE SALUKIS
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Salukis by following the team on Twitter at @SIU_Baseball, on Facebook at Facebook.com/SalukiBaseball, and on Instagram at @SIU_Baseball. Fans can also download the "Salukis" Mobile App on the App Store or Google Play Store.
SCHEDULE
Saturday - 1 PM - ESPN+
Sunday - 2 PM - ESPNU
Monday - 1 PM - ESPN+
HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG
Saluki Hall-of-Famer Mike Reis will have the call on SIUSalukis.com, the "Salukis" Mobile App on the App Store or Google Play Store, as well as the Varsity Sports Network App. The weekend series will air on ESPN+ on both Saturday and Monday with the middle game of the series being sent to a national audience on ESPNU. Live stats for the game are also available on SIUSalukis.com.
AROUND THE HORN
• Winners of nine of its last 10 games, SIU faces No. 22 Indiana State this weekend on the road.
• After taking two of three against Evansville last weekend at home, SIU has won 12-straight MVC weekend series dating back to the 2021 season.
• SIU leads the country in double plays turned (42) and is second in double plays turned per game (1.14).
• Southern is 3-1 in extra-inning games and has recorded five walk-off wins at home this season.
• SIU has five walk-off wins this season with the last coming in midweek action against Austin Peay.
• Two Salukis rank in the top-10 in the MVC in average (Nathan Bandy (.366), Pier-Olivier Boucher (.342)).
• Paul Bonzagni is 7-2 on the mound. His seven wins lead the MVC with the next closest having five.
• SIU leads the MVC in average (.289), hits (372), and is second in home runs (52).
• The Salukis have broken the single-season home run mark in the last two years (88-2022, 84-2021).
• The Salukis are 10-1 in games when they hit two or more home runs.
• Steven Loden leads SIU with 12 multi-RBI games. He has three four-RBI outings.
• SIU has committed just one error in conference play over 110 innings. Evansville is the next best with seven errors in MVC play. Indiana State has 11 errors in 12 league games entering the weekend.
• Southern is 44-of-54 on stolen base attempts -- ranking third in the MVC. Southern has stolen 21 bases in the last 13 games, going 21-for-24. Illinois State leads the MVC with 46 stolen bases.
THE SERIES & MATCHUP
• The Salukis lead the series with Indiana State 105-91 and have won four straight against the Sycamores and seven of the last 10 games in the series. Southern is 47-47 on the road against INS. The last time SIU played in Terre Haute came in 2021 when the Salukis took three of four.
• The Sycamores enter the series at 23-12 overall and are winners of their last 11 games. Indiana State is coming off a midweek win over No. 4 Vanderbilt on the road where they defeated the Commadores 10-2. Indiana State sits at No. 12 in the RPI according to WarrenNolen.com and has played the 22nd toughest schedule in the country, including the toughest nonconference slate in Division I.
• The Sycamores are hitting .261 as a team, led by outfielder Seth Gergely at .328. Mike Sears leads INS with 12 home runs in 25 games for a team-best .595 slugging percentage. The Trees are 25-34 on stolen base attempts, led by Gergely who is 10-for-12. Indiana State holds a 4.45 combined team ERA with four pitchers under a four ERA led by reliever Cameron Holycross who has allowed just four earned runs in 26 innings. Right-hander and the Trees No. 1 starter Matt Jachec holds a 4-2 record, a 3.25 ERA and has struck out 57 while issuing just nine walks in 52.2 innings. The Sycamores have struck out 305 batters while walking only 133 in 315.1 total innings.
SALUKIS VS NATIONALLY RANKED TEAMS
• The Salukis are facing their first ranked opponent since the 2020 season (No. 18 Arizona - L, 6-5) this weekend at No. 22 Indiana State. SIU is 29-73 against ranked teams since the 2002 season with 15 of those wins coming on the road. It's the first time SIU has faced Indiana State while the Sycamores have been ranked in the modern era.
UP NEXT
Southern will travel to SEMO on Tuesday to close a season series with the Redhawks.
FOLLOW THE SALUKIS
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Salukis by following the team on Twitter at @SIU_Baseball, on Facebook at Facebook.com/SalukiBaseball, and on Instagram at @SIU_Baseball. Fans can also download the "Salukis" Mobile App on the App Store or Google Play Store.
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF
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