Preview | Saluki Baseball hosts four-game set with Bowling Green, Southern Indiana

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Feb 13

3 PM

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Seton Hall

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois baseball will host a four-game set with Bowling Green and Southern Indiana beginning Friday in Carbondale.

THE SCHEDULE
Friday – 4 p.m. CT vs Southern Indiana, Live Stats
Saturday – Noon CT vs Bowling Green, Live Stats
Sunday – Noon CT vs Bowling Green, Live Stats,
Sunday – 4 p.m. CT vs Southern Indiana, Live Stats

HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG
Fans can follow along via live stats or on Twitter @SIU_Baseball.

AROUND THE HORN

The Salukis went 3-1 on their most recent road trip, taking two out of three at Tennessee Tech and winning a midweek matchup with Arkansas State.
Cecil Lofton hit two home runs and has 7 RBIs on the young season. His performance at Tennessee Tech earned him the Missouri Valley Conference's Player of the Week.
Dylan Petrey has been strong out of the bullpen, pitching 6.1 innings and allowing zero runs while striking out six.
Consistent with previous seasons under Rhodes, the Salukis have over 20 new pieces on the roster including 17 seniors, 15 juniors, and just two sophomores on the roster. SIU carries no freshmen on the 2025 roster.

ON THE MOUND

Friday's starter Jordan Huskey threw 2.1 innings in a shaky start at Tennessee Tech on February 22. The left-hander will look to bounce back against USI after being removed after 58 pitches and three earned runs in his last outing.
Alec Nigut will start Saturday after shining in his first two starts and sporting a 2-0 record. Through 10.0 innings pitched, he has allowed just one run on three hits and struck out twelve.
Meade Johnson is slated to start game one on Sunday against Bowling Green. The Heartland Community College transfer pitched four innings in Monday's win at Tennessee Tech. He added three strikeouts and allowed just two runs on two hits.
Sunday's game two starter is TBA.

RHODES AT THE HELM

Lance Rhodes enters his sixth season at the helm of the program, leading the team to 40 or more wins during two of the last four seasons -- including the first back-to-back 40-win seasons in program history (2021 & 22).
Rhodes enters the series with an overall record of 163-99 and a 58-35 mark in Missouri Valley Conference play.

THE SERIES & MATCHUP

The Salukis will play Bowling Green for the first time since 1985 when SIU defeated the Falcons 13-2. The two teams have never played at a home campus site. Southern leads the series 3-1.
Bowling Green has begun the 2025 season with a 4-2 record while having two games canceled. The Falcons took two of three in their last three-game set, going 1-1 against USC Upstate and defeating Presbyterian 11-4.
Brady Birchmeier has provided the power for BGSU, cracking two home runs and driving in ten RBIs in just six games.
Southern Illinois has won the last three matchups with Southern Indiana, last time defeating the Screaming Eagles 7-5 on April 30, 2024.
The Screagles are off to a 5-2 start in 2025. Like Bowling Green, they have dealt with their fair share of cancelations and postponements. USI has won two of their last three games, splitting two with Evansville and defeating Saint Louis in an 11-4 win on Wednesday.
Kannon Coakley is off to a red-hot start, tallying 13 hits in his first 25 at-bats, a number that is tied for first in the Ohio Valley Conference.

MVC PRESEASON POLL
The league will announce its preseason poll and all-conference team on Monday, March 17, ahead of the beginning of Valley play, slated to start on Friday, March 21.

FOLLOW THE SALUKIS
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Salukis by following the team on X at @SIU_Baseball, on Facebook at Facebook.com/SalukiBaseball, and Instagram at @SIU_Baseball. Fans can also download the "Salukis" Mobile App on the App Store or Google Play Store.

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