April 4, 2008

By Kyle Herm
www.SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois softball team (19-15, 5-3 MVC) returns to conference play with a three-game series against Indiana State (9-16-1, 2-6 MVC) at home at Charlotte West Stadium this weekend, April 5-6.

The series begins Saturday with a doubleheader at 12 p.m., and concludes with a single-game on Sunday at noon.

The Salukis enter the three-game set with a four-game winning streak after sweeping doubleheaders from Illinois State (March 29), and Saint Louis (April 2), and have also won their last seven home games. The Sycamores enter the series having lost their last three games.

Southern Illinois leads the all-time series with Indiana State, 57-16, and has won 19-straight games against the Sycamores dating back to 2001. The last time SIU lost to Indiana State was on April 21, 2001 when the Salukis fell, 2-0, in Terre Haute in head coach Kerri Blaylock's second year.

SIU leads the Missouri Valley Conference in batting average (.283) and stolen bases (33), and is tied with Drake for third in the league standings with a 5-3 record.

All three games can be heard live online through an internet-only webcast by SIU's Patrick Erickson, and can be accessed through the softball Web page at www.SIUSalukis.com.

The games can also be viewed by subscribing to DawgWatch.TV at www.SIUSalukis.com.