Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
Oral Roberts
Salukis Open 2026 Season on the Road at Oral Roberts
02/13/2026 | 11:00:00 | Baseball
CARBONDALE, Ill. – Saluki Baseball opens the 2026 season on the road this weekend with a three-game series at Oral Roberts beginning Friday in Tulsa, Okla. The series marks the start of another season with high expectations for the Salukis, who return several key contributors from last year's record-setting offense.
SIU hit a school-record 113 home runs last season, with a large portion of that power returning, led by Michael Mylott and Gabe Petrucelli. The pitching staff also brings back experience, including weekend starter Meade Johnson and reliever Dylan Petrey, while several newcomers are expected to play key positions early in the season.
Head coach Lance Rhodes enters the year four wins away from the 200-win mark in his SIU career.
THE SCHEDULE
Friday, Feb. 13 — 3 p.m. CT
Saturday, Feb. 14 — 2 p.m. CT
Sunday, Feb. 15 — 1 p.m. CT
All games will be played in Tulsa, Okla.
THE PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday: Andrew Evans vs. Easton Teel
Saturday: Meade Johnson vs. Nathan Love
Sunday: Ryan Halamicek vs. Conner Johnson
AROUND THE HORN
Southern Illinois was picked to finish second in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll. Murray State was selected as the conference favorite, followed by SIU, UIC, Illinois State, and Indiana State.
Six Salukis were named to the MVC Players to Watch list:
Simay led SIU with a .351 batting average last season, while Petrey was a key arm out of the bullpen and earned All-MVC Honorable Mention honors.
The Salukis enter the season with an experienced roster, including only a handful of underclassmen, and relying heavily on leadership with experience in the Saluki Baseball program.
ON THE DIAMOND
Southern Illinois returns big offensive production from last season's lineup, including several of the team's top run producers and power hitters. Petrucelli and Mylott headline a group that helped set the program's single-season home run record.
The Salukis will also be relying on leadership from returning starters and experienced position players as the season gets underway.
ON THE MOUND
SIU brings back key arms to anchor the pitching staff, including Meade Johnson, who returns as part of this weekend's rotation, and Dylan Petrey, who is expected to play a major role in late-inning situations. The Salukis have also added several transfers, including Andrew Evans, who will start on Friday. The Kansas State transfer features a fastball that tops out in the mid 90s with multiple wipeout pitches and figures to be a key arm early on.
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.
