Preview | Saluki Baseball Opens 2024 with Weekend Series at Northwestern State

CARBONDALE, Ill. – Southern Illinois begins its 78^th season of baseball as the Salukis open the season on the road with Northwestern State Friday.

THE SCHEDULE
Friday – 6:30 p.m.
Saturday – 2 p.m.
Sunday – 12 p.m.

HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG
All three games will air on ESPN Plus. Fans can also follow along via live stats or on Twitter @SIU_Baseball.

AROUND THE HORN

Saluki baseball opens the 2024 season on the road with a three-game series against Northwestern State.
The Salukis were picked to finish fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Poll.
With a bevy of new faces on the roster, Southern Illinois will look to several key returners for leadership this season. The Salukis return starters Matt Schark (1B), Steven Loden (2B), Cole Christman (C) as well as outfielders Nathan Bandy and Bennett Eltoft to the lineup.
On the mound the Salukis return key pieces in Jake Combs, Easton Dermody, Scott Harper, Shane Wilhelm, Ben Riffe as well as Mike Hansell who missed last season with injury.
Like in previous seasons, the Salukis will have over 20 new pieces as the season begins with the roster consisting of just 18 seniors and 17 juniors.
The Salukis led the nation in double plays (61) and double plays turned per game (1.07) in 2023.
SIU has led the MVC in turning double plays in seven of the last 10 seasons. SIU led the MVC in double plays in 2013, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, and 2023. The Salukis were second in the MVC in 2016.

RHODES AT THE HELM

Lance Rhodes enters his fifth season at the helm of the program, leading the team to 40 or more wins during two of the last three seasons -- including the first back-to-back 40-win seasons in program history (2021 & 22).
Rhodes enters the year with an overall record of 126-69 and a 46-30 mark in Missouri Valley Conference play.
SIU is 10-4 under Lance Rhodes during opening weekend.

THE SERIES & MATCHUP

Southern Illinois and Northwestern State have met 11 times before the season opener with the Demons holding a 6-5 advantage in the series. The Salukis and Demons last met in a neutral site game in 2007 when SIU won 3-2. SIU is 4-6 on the road against NSU.
Northwestern State is coming off a 29-27 season a year ago and was picked to finish eighth in the Southland Conference Preseason Poll. NSU finished last season 19-7 at home.
Junior starting pitcher Chase Prestwich and senior catcher Bo Willis were named second-team Preseason All-Southland Conference.

THE BIG FLY

As a team, the Salukis hit the third-most home runs in program history in 2023 with 79 bombs, averaging 1.39 home runs per game.
Steven Loden and Pier-Olivier Boucher finished second and fourth, respectively in single-season home runs in 2023. Loden sent 18 homers out which ranked second while Boucher hit 16 home runs to tie for fourth place.

WINNING AT THE ITCH

SIU started the Lance Rhodes era by winning 13 consecutive home games (5-0 in 2020 (COVID), started 8-0 in 2021). Overall, SIU is 74-24 at Itchy Jones Stadium under head coach Lance Rhodes.

MVC PRESEASON POLL

Indiana State was picked in a poll of league head coaches to win the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference baseball title. The Sycamores are defending regular-season and tournament champions. ISU received 95 total points and eight of 10 first-place tallies in this season's poll, while Missouri State and Evansville earned the other two first-place votes. The Bears finished second in this year's poll with 89 points, while Evansville is in the No. 3 spot with 81 points. Murray State (4th, 67 points) and Southern Illinois (5th, 63 points) are tightly bunched for the next two spots, followed by Belmont (6th, 40), Illinois State (7th, 39), UIC (8th, 34), Valparaiso (9th, 22), and Bradley (10th, 20).

PRESEASON MVC HONORS

Right-hander Jake Combs was named Preseason All-Missouri Valley Conference. A Second Team All-MVC selection a year ago, Combs led the team in ERA with a 2.97 mark in 63.2 innings across 16 appearances, including 15 starts. In MVC play Combs held opponents to a 2.01 ERA in 31.1 innings.

DAWGS WITH WALK OFF MAGIC

Southern Illinois recorded six walk-off wins in 2023 and have 11 walk-off wins under Lance Rhodes.
- 5/9/23 vs SIUE - Matt Schark - RBI Single to LF
- 4/18/23 vs APSU - Matt Schark - RBI Single to RF
- 4/16/23 vs UE - Nathan Bandy - RBI Single to RF
- 4/6/23 vs BEL - Matt Schark - Solo Home Run
- 3/28/23 vs UTM - Matt Schark - E4 Fielding Error
- 3/25/23 vs UIC - Steven Loden - 3-Run Home Run

FAST FACTS

Bob Goalby was a letter winner for the Saluki Baseball team in 1948, just the second year as a program. He went on to star in another sport: He won the 1968 Masters, defeating, among others, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, and Sam Snead.
SIU has led the MVC in turning double plays in seven of the last 10 seasons. SIU led the MVC in double plays in 2013, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, and 2023. The Salukis were second in the MVC in 2016.
The Salukis are one of the most senior-laden teams in the nation with 18 on the roster this season.
- Utah Valley – 20
- Texas State – 18
- Houston – 18
- Notre Dame – 18
- Southern Illinois – 18
- Georgetown – 17

SIU BASEBALL: A RICH HISTORY

Southern Illinois has made five College World Series appearances, finishing second in the nation twice (1968, 71) and third twice (1974, 1977).
SIU has produced 25 Major Leaguers. Some notable MLB Salukis include Steve Finley, Duane Kuiper, Dave Steib, Jerry Hairston Jr., Al Levine, Jason Frasor, and Jim Dwyer.
The Dan Callahan MVC Baseball Coach of the Year award is the only Valley coaching award in any sport named after a former coach. Callahan coached SIU from 1994-2010, amassing 595 wins. In the decade of the 1970's, Southern Illinois had the second-best winning percentage in all of Division I baseball, trailing only Texas. SIU was 383-106-3 (.782) from 1970-79.
The Salukis have won eight Missouri Valley Conference championships. All but one came during a 16-year stretch from 1975-90. (SIU was independent in baseball before joining the MVC in 1975). Southern claimed its eighth Valley title and the program's first in 32 years in 2022 after going 16-5 in conference play.

UP NEXT
The Salukis will continue play Tuesday with a midweek game at UT Martin.

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.

Calendar

Upcoming Events