CARBONDALE, Illinois – The Huskies travel to Southern Illinois to take on the Salukis in a three-game series at Itchy Jones Stadium. It will be the first meeting between the two schools and the Huskies look to continue the momentum of having taken three of four against Eastern Michigan last week.

The Huskies (7-6) are led by William Jewell who is currently ranked ninth in the conference with a .387 batting average. Jewell has tallied 12 hits, seven RBI, six walks, and five runs with a pair of doubles and home runs in 31 at-bats. Samuel Benjamin has started every game for the Huskies recording multiple hits in four of his last six games while hitting .512 average (12-for-23) over the stretch. He is now batting .333 on the season and leading the team with 15 hits, 14 runs and five doubles.

Tyler LaRue leads the Huskies and is tied for sixth in the SLC with 15 RBIs on the season. The senior hit a pair of home runs in last weekend's series and a pair of walk-off hits in the season opening series against Le Moyne.

The Husky' bullpen is coming alive allowing only nine runs in the final three games of the series against EMU last week, that is the lowest runs allowed in a three-game stretch for the Huskies since 2022. Jett Feltman (2-0) leads the pitching core with a pair of wins recording a 5.02 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. The Conroe native has pitched 14.1 innings on the year allowing eight earned runs on 13 hits with four walks and seven strikeouts.

Rye Gunter has started three games for the Huskies pitching 12.1 innings on the season, allowing only four runs to go with 10 strikeouts. Gunter matched his strong ( 4 inn – 0 runs – 5 strikeouts) outing against Le Moyne in the season opening series with another five strikeouts in five innings against Eastern Michigan on Saturday. Nicholas Willard (2-1) has a pair of shutout outings against EMU and Le Moyne pitching 3.2 total innings allowing no runs with four strikeouts in both appearances out of the bullpen.

Southern Illinois (7-5) are coming off a three-game home series against Appalachian State falling 2-1 in the series. The Salukis swept a three-game series at Northwestern State 3-0 to open the season then got swept in a three-game series against former Southland Conference opponent Central Arkansas on the road a week later.

The Salukis are led by Jordan Bach currently sitting eighth in the Missouri Valley Conference with a .392 batting average with 20 hits, 17 runs, 12 RBIs and 10 walks. Mathieu Vallee is hitting .327 with 16 hits, nine RBIs, eight runs and five walks. UCI's pitching core is lead by Alec Nigut (2-0) with a 8.53 ERA pitching 12.2 innings allowing 13 runs, 12 earned runs, on 21 hits with three walks and 11 strikeouts.

Al Holguin (0-1) leads the Salukis with a 3.21 ERA for starting pitchers allowing only five earned runs on the season pitching 14 innings with 12 walks and nine strikeouts. Aidan Foeller (1-0) is third in the MVC with 20 strikeouts while giving up just 15 hits and eight walks.

Three-Game Series Schedule:
Thursday, March 7^th – 2 p.m.
Friday, March 8^th – 6 p.m.
Saturday, March 9^th – 12 p.m. (noon)

Live stats are available at HCUHuskies.com