Cougars Relish Homestand

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April 20, 2005

        The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville baseball team sees an opportunity before them as they head into the final 12 games of the regular season. The Cougars have the advantage of playing those contests at home or at least near home.
        Beginning tomorrow when SIUE faces Quincy, the Cougars will play eight games at Roy Lee Field over the next two weeks. It will be the first game at the field since April 21, 2004. The four other games will be played at T.R. Hughes Ballpark in O'Fallon, Mo.
        "We won't have to travel," said SIUE baseball coach Gary Collins. "Hopefully that will help us."
        The next few games will go along way in telling how the Cougars finish the season. They sit tied for sixth place with Kentucky Wesleyan in the Great Lakes Valley Conference with 23-20 overall record, 14-14 in league play.
        Battling the Hawks on Tuesday could give SIUE a chance to gain ground on one of the teams ahead of them in the standings. Quincy is currently in fourth place two games ahead of SIUE, with the clubs splitting a pair of contests on April 6.
        The top six teams make the GLVC tournament which will be held at T.R. Hughes on May 12-15.
        "A sweep over Quincy would tie us with them and give us the tie breaker," said Collins.
        SIUE has won nine of its last 12 games after finishing last week splitting with the Panthers and St. Joseph's.
        Jeff Darnall (Atlanta) leads the Cougar offense with a 17-game hitting steak, a .340 average, and 51 hits as well as being tied for the club lead in RBIs with 26.
        Darnall batted .381 last week with 5 RBIs and a game-winning triple in a victory over the Pumas.
        "Jeff has been consistent," said Collins. "That is how you put a hitting streak together. He has probably been our most consistent hitter."
        Adam Tallman (Gillespie) notched a .385 batting average the last six games while pitching six strong innings giving up just two hits and no earned runs in a loss to St. Joseph's.
        "Tallman pitched a great game," said Collins. Cameron Cheek (Atlanta) continued his string of strong pitching performances with a win over Kentucky Wesleyan. The two-time GLVC pitcher of the week is now 6-1 on the year with a 1.45 earned run average.
        David Briesacher (Waterloo) came out of the bullpen on Saturday to throw six innings of one-hit baseball notching his first win of the season. Jared Rettberg (Divernon) fanned six, giving up one run on two hits for his fourth win in the second game.
        SIUE takes on Quincy tomorrow with the first pitch coming at 1 p.m. The Cougars face Indianapolis for a four-game series this weekend. Saturday's contests will be play at Roy Lee Field at 1 p.m., and Sunday's doubleheader is scheduled for T.R. Hughes at noon.
                -siue cougars-

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Players Mentioned

#30 David Briesacher: P; 6' 5"; Senior

#24 Cameron Cheek: P/3B; 6' 3"; Junior

#6 Jeff Darnall: OF; 5' 10"; Junior

#33 Adam Tallman: P/DH; 6' 3"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#30 David Briesacher
: 6' 5"; Senior
: P

#24 Cameron Cheek
: 6' 3"; Junior
: P/3B

#6 Jeff Darnall
: 5' 10"; Junior
: OF

#33 Adam Tallman
: 6' 3"; Sophomore
: P/DH