SIUE (24-25) at
SIU Carbondale (35-16)
Tue., May 13, 6 p.m.
Itchy Jones Stadium

SIUE STARTER
RHP Gabriel Nutter (0-2, 6.75)

LAST WEEKEND: The Cougars lost an Ohio Valley Conference series, for just the second time this season, dropping two of three to Eastern Illinois.   

CONFERENCE CALL: SIUE is playing its 14th Ohio Valley Conference season in 2025. At 16-8, the Cougars are tied for first place in the OVC. The 16 OVC wins are the most under Head Coach Sean Lyons and the most for SIUE since 2015, which also marked the last time SIUE had a winning season in league play. The Cougars are 157-212 all-time in OVC play.

SERIES STUFF: Including a win last Wednesday in Edwardsville, the Salukis own a 32-7 lead in the all-time series. SIUC has won 13 of the 14 meetings between the teams since SIUE moved to Division I play. The lone Cougar win came in 2023 in Edwardsville.

EDWARDSVILLE SLUGGERS: The Cougars lead the OVC in home runs with 66 which ranks 55th nationally. SIUE's 1.35 home runs per game lead the league and are 53rd in the NCAA. The 2025 team ranks third in homers in a season at SIUE. They are still on pace to hit 71 home runs in the regular season, which would rank second all-time.

STRIKE FORCE: SIUE's 410 strikeouts are tied for second in the league. The Cougars lead the league at 8.7 strikeouts per nine innings, which ranks 88th nationally. SIUE is on pace to break its Division I single season mark of 434 strikeouts (set in 2023).

MACK ATTACK: Mack Mitchell is second in the league with 17 total home runs and leads the league at .36 home runs per game. His 17 homers currently rank third on the single season list at SIUE.

LEADERS AT THE PLATE: Daniel Gierer is the ninth in the OVC in batting average at .331. Mitchell and Bloomer are tied for seventh in the league in total RBIs at 44. Mitchell is the leader in the OVC in slugging (.655) and is second in PS at 1.084. Gierer is fourth in the league in stolen bases with 21.

LEADERS ON THE MOUND: Tim Teixeira (60) and Spencer Stearns (54) are sixth and seventh respectively in the OVC in total strikeouts. Stearns is second in the league at 9.23 strikeouts per nine innings, while Teixeira (9.20) is third. Liam McKillop is fifth in the OVC in appearances with 22. Tyler Davis is third in the league with six saves.

WALLACE WATCH LIST: Bloomer is included on the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List recognizing the top 100 shortstops in college baseball.

GOOD HANDS: SIUE's .973 fielding percentage is the best in the league. The Cougars have committed the fewest errors in the league with 47.

RETURN TO ME: SIUE returns 11 position players from 2024. Those 11 players accounted for 36 home runs (72 percent) and 212 RBIs (68 percent) in 2024. SIUE also returns nine pitchers, which accounting for 31 starts (55 percent), 12 wins (57 percent), 273 innings (58 percent) and 241 strikeouts (58 percent) in 2024.

THE SKIPPER: Sean Lyons is in his ninth season as SIUE's head coach. His overall record is 186-247-1.

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