SIUE (5-15) at
Illinois State (8-9)
Tue., March 19, 5 p.m.
Duffy Bass Field
Normal, Illinois

Probable Pitching Matchup:
SIUE RHP Zeus Ponder (1-0, 0.00) vs. ISU RHP Thomas Harper (1-0, 9.20)

SERIES STUFF: Illinois State leads the all-time series 21-9, which includes a 12-3 advantage in home games. The Cougars have won the last two meetings between the two teams. Both of those games were in Edwardsville.

LAST WEEK: SIUE split four games. The Cougars won a Wednesday home meeting with Gonzaga and the Friday night opener at UIC. SIUE dropped the final two games of the UIC series. SIUE averaged nearly seven runs a game in the four games.

TUESDAY STARTER: Zeus Ponder will make his first start of the season Tuesday at Illinois State. He made four starts last season and earned a win against Illinois State in 2023.

OFFENSIVE RANKINGS: The Cougars are hitting .253 as a team which ranks eighth in the Ohio Valley Conference. They are tied for fourth in doubles (34) and are fifth in total bases. SIUE's 17 home runs rank sixth in the league.

LEAGUE LEADERS: Lucas Spence is ninth in the OVC with a .375 batting average and tied for seventh with 27 hits. Ethan Willoughby's eight doubles rank third in the league. On the pitching side, Duncan McLaughlin's two saves rank fifth in the league.

STREAKING: Spence has the longest current hitting streak on the team at five games. He has had the longest this season with a seven-game streak earlier in the year. Ryan Niedzwiedz has reached base safely in four straight games.

THE SKIPPER: Sean Lyons is in his eighth season as SIUE's head coach. He has an overall record of 146-203.

UP NEXT: SIUE Opens OVC play when Lindenwood comes to Roy E. Lee Field for a weekend series beginning Friday.