Southern Illinois University announced on May 13 that its baseball team will conclude the regular season with a three-game series against Valparaiso at Itchy Jones Stadium, highlighting Senior Weekend.
The event will recognize 13 senior players before Saturday’s game. The Salukis are set to play Thursday and Friday evenings at 6 p.m., followed by the Saturday afternoon finale at 2 p.m. Probable starting pitchers for Southern Illinois include Andrew Evans and Troy Shepard, with Saturday’s starter yet to be determined.
The Salukis recently secured a sweep over Belmont and clinched a spot in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament but fell in a midweek matchup against SIUE. Notably, Kristian Sprawling enters the weekend on a 15-game hitting streak, while pitcher Troy Shepard was named MVC Pitcher of the Week after his performance in Nashville. “He currently ranks in the Missouri Valley Conference’s top 10 with a 3.51 ERA (fifth), four wins (tied for ninth), 73 strikeouts (third) and leads the conference with a 1.12 WHIP.” Gabe Petrucelli also made significant contributions during the Belmont series.
Head coach Lance Rhodes is leading his seventh season, having achieved back-to-back forty-win seasons for Southern Illinois—a first in program history—while reaching his two-hundredth win earlier this year. The roster features experienced players: thirteen seniors, fifteen juniors, three sophomores, and two freshmen.
Southern Illinois faces Valparaiso with both teams tied all-time at thirteen wins each. The Beacons’ pitching staff allows few walks but also records fewer strikeouts within their conference. Michael Kuska leads Valparaiso offensively with a .311 batting average this season.
The Salukis have been recognized for their offensive power; last year they set school records for home runs and led or ranked near the top of several statistical categories nationally and within their conference. Six Saluki players were named to the MVC Players to Watch list ahead of this season.
Itchy Jones Stadium serves as home field for Southern Illinois baseball and features artificial turf along with a modern video board according to the official website. The program participates in NCAA Division I within the Missouri Valley Conference and has appeared in fourteen NCAA Tournaments as well as five College World Series according to the official website.
