DATES:  May 2-4
TIMES:  6:30 p.m.  |  4:00 p.m.  |  1:00 p.m.
LOCATION:  Carbondale, Ill. (Itchy Jones Stadium)
MEDIA CENTER:  Live Video  |  Live Audio (91.5 FM WUEV)  |  Live Stats
NOTES:  Evansville

PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (UE STARTER LISTED FIRST)
FRIDAY:  Kyle Freeland, LHP, Jr. (8-1, 1.88 ERA) vs. Sam Coonrod, RHP, Jr. (0-5, 3.60 ERA)
SATURDAY:  Connor Strain, RHP, So. (3-3, 3.40 ERA) vs. Todd Eaton, RHP, Sr. (2-2, 3.75 ERA)
SUNDAY:  Cole Isom, LHP, Sr. (4-4, 3.79 ERA) vs. Aaron Hauge, LHP, R-Jr. (3-3, 3.47 ERA)

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville baseball team will return to Missouri Valley Conference play this weekend, when the Purple Aces travel to Carbondale, Ill., for a three-game series with Southern Illinois at Itchy Jones Stadium.  UE enters the series with a half-game lead over Illinois State in the MVC standings.
 
Evansville (28-15, 9-3 MVC) swept Bradley last weekend on its home diamond at Braun Stadium, as the Aces defeated the Braves, 5-2, 5-4 and 12-2 during the three-game set.  Junior Kevin Kaczmarski led UE by going 5-for-10 in the series with a triple and four RBI, sophomore Shain Showers tallied four RBI on four hits, including a home run and senior Jake Mahon drove in a team-high five RBI by going 5-for-12 with a double and two runs scored.  On the mound, senior Sam Johns earned saves on both Friday and Saturday, as he allowed just one base runner on a walk in 2.1 innings out of the bullpen.
 
As a team, Evansville leads the Valley in batting average (.288) and on-base percentage (.386) and ranks second in the conference with a .391 slugging percentage, which includes a league-best 88 doubles, and runs scored with 265.  Sophomore Eric McKibban leads the squad with a .328 batting average and .441 on-base percentage, and is one of four Aces hitting over .300.  Fellow sophomore Josh Jyawook boasts a .320 average with 35 runs scored and 28 RBI, while Kaczmarski is hitting .318 and leads UE with 17 doubles, four triples, four home runs, 43 RBI and a .535 slugging percentage.  Junior Kyle Pollock rounds out Evansville's list of .300 hitters with a .303 average that includes 12 doubles, three homers and 40 RBI.  Senior Jake Mahon is hitting just shy of the .300 mark with a .298 average and has scored 34 runs.
 
The Aces' pitching staff owns a 4.19 ERA with 311 strikeouts against just 131 walks and a .268 opposing batting average in 371.2 innings.  Junior Kyle Freeland has been one of the nation's top pitchers this season, as he enters the series with an 8-1 record and a 1.88 ERA.  The Denver, Colo., native ranks in the top five in the country in three categories, including strikeouts per nine innings (2nd – 12.18), strikeouts (3rd – 97) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (3rd – 12.18), and ranks eighth in the country by allowing only 0.75 walks per nine innings.  Saturday starter Connor Strain is 3-3 on the year with a 3.40 ERA and has notched 27 strikeouts against 25 walks.  Senior Cole Isom enters the series with a 4-4 record, 3.79 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 54.2 innings, and is expected to toe the rubber Sunday afternoon.
 
Out of the UE bullpen, Johns is tied for the MVC lead with nine saves in his 18 relief appearances, while sophomore Brent Jurceka is 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 39.2 frames of relief.
 
Southern Illinois (21-24, 3-12 MVC) enters this weekend having lost seven of its last eight contests and was swept at Illinois State last weekend, as the Salukis lost a trio of one-run games to the Redbirds and are 1-7 in Valley games decided by one run.  ISU topped SIU 3-2 in 12 innings, 2-1 in 15 innings and 4-3 in Sunday's series finale.
 
Southern Illinois is hitting .259 as a team with 73 doubles, eight triples and 14 long balls for a .342 slugging percentage.  The Salukis are getting on base at a .346 clip, have stolen 24 bases in 35 attempts and are fielding .968, collectively.  Cody Daily leads the squad with a .317 average, tallying 13 doubles, three homers, 14 RBI and 25 runs.  Ryan Casillas has posted a .315 mark and leads the Salukis in doubles (16), home runs (5), RBI (34) and slugging percentage (.486).  Jake Welch, who is hitting .267, ranks second on the team with 20 RBI and has drawn a team-high 34 walks for a .390 on-base percentage.
 
SIU's pitching staff has accumulated a 3.59 ERA, 293 strikeouts, 203 walks and a .241 opposing batting average over 418.1 innings.  Friday night starter Sam Coonrod will be in search of his first win this season, as he enters the series 0-5 with a 3.60 ERA and a team-high 59 strikeouts in 60.0 innings spanning 11 starts.  Reigning MVC Pitcher of the Week Todd Eaton will get the ball for Southern Illinois on Saturday and brings a 2-2 mark with a 3.75 ERA into the weekend set.  Eaton has fanned 38 opposing hitters and walked 18 in a team-high 74.1 innings of work.  Sunday starter Aaron Hauge is 3-3 with a 3.47 ERA and 32 strikeouts in his 49.1 frames.
 
The Saluki bullpen is led by Kyle Pauly, who boasts an impressive 1.12 ERA and a 2-2 record in his 18 relief outings.  Pauly has logged 40.1 innings on the mound, registering 29 strikeouts, while holding opposing batters to a .150 average.  Closer Tyler Dray has nailed down seven saves in 15 appearances out of the pen.
 
Southern Illinois leads the all-time series with Evansville, 94-57, but the Aces took two of three from the Salukis last year in Evansville.  Since UE joined the Valley in 1995, it holds a slim, 36-31, lead in the series and are 16-15 against SIU in Carbondale during that span.