SIUE (11-21, 5-4 OVC) at
Mizzou (15-18, 4-8 SEC)
Tue., April 9, 6 p.m.
Simmons Field / Taylor Stadium
Columbia, Missouri

PROBABLE STARTERS
SIUE RHP Jacob Kampf (0-3,13.08)  vs. MIZ LHP Daniel Wissler (2-1, 4.44)

LAST WEEK: SIUE won its second Ohio Valley Conference series, taking two of three from UT Martin in Edwardsville. The Cougars were two extra inning games away from a 4-0 week, dropping 10-inning contests at Saint Louis and against UT Martin.

SERIES STUFF: Mizzou holds a 19-4 advantage in the all-time series and has won the last six meetings. SIUE's last win in the series came in 2011 in Columbia.

TOUGH ROAD: The Cougars opened the season with back-to-back series against 2023 NCAA Tournament teams. Troy was a win away from a Super Regional appearance last year, while Oral Roberts was a World Series team in 2023.

NEWCOMERS: SIUE has 19 newcomers on the 2024 rosters, 18 of whom have seen action in a game this season. Among position players, newcomers have accounted for 167 starts. All but eight starts on the mound have come from returners.

THAT'S OFFENSIVE: The Cougars are sixth in the OVC in average (.276). They are fifth in doubles (55) and sixth in total bases (437) and sixth in hits (295).

HOMER ROLL: SIUE's 19 home runs rank eighth in the OVC. Zack Floyd leads the team with three home runs. The Cougars have hit 187 home runs over the last three seasons.

GETTING DEFENSIVE: The Cougars' .964 fielding percentage is sixth in the OVC.

LEAGUE LEADERS: Lucas Spence is the leading hitter in the OVC with a .403 batting average, which ranks 48th in the NCAA. He leads the league in hits with 50 which is 21st in the NCAA. 

GOING STREAKING: Spence has hit safely in 17 consecutive games, which is the longest hitting streak on the team this year and the longest in the OVC this year. It is the longest streak by a Cougar since the 2009 season. The record is 24 games by Nick Seibert in 2001.

DELONG ROAD: Friday starting pitcher Tyler DeLong is SIUE's most experienced starter, having made 18 appearances and nine starts in 2023. He made 19 appearances (10 starts) at Austin Peay in 2022.

AND RUNNIN' RUNNIN': SIUE is tied for fourth in the OVC with 45 stolen bases. Wiloughby leads the way with nine. Gage Franck has eight.
 
THE SKIPPER: Sean Lyons is in his eighth season as SIUE's head coach.

LAST YEAR: SIUE was 26-28 overall and 14-8 at home. The Cougars returned to the OVC Tournament for the second consecutive season under Sean Lyons. The Cougars finished seventh in OVC play at 9-15. 

PRESEASON PROGNOSTICATIONS: Before the season, the OVC's head coaches and sports information personnel tabbed SIUE for a seventh-place finish. D1Baseball.com also picked the Cougars for a seventh-place finish in the OVC.