Feb. 6, 2008

By Kyle Herm
www.SIUSalukis.com

Game Notes

CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois softball team will kick-off the 2008 season this Friday, Feb. 8, at the Jacksonville University Tournament for the second-straight year.

SIU will take on host Jacksonville, along with North Carolina-Greensboro, Coastal Carolina, and Minnesota in the three-day tournament played at the JU Softball Complex.

Southern Illinois opened last season at the JU Tournament, and posted a 4-1 record after going 2-0 against Jacksonville, 1-1 against UNC-Greensboro, and defeating Big Ten opponent, Minnesota, 6-4.

"Even though we're starting this season against opponents we opened up with last year, each of them will have some new faces," said SIU head coach Kerri Blaylock. "What I like is the comfort of our surroundings, because we've played at their stadium before and know what to expect."

The Salukis have performed well in season-opening contest, sporting an all-time record of 22-10, while Blaylock is 6-2 in season-openers during her tenure at the helm of the SIU softball program.

Southern Illinois has started five of the last six seasons at tournaments in the state of Florida, and have a record of 15-3 at tournaments in the sunshine state since 2003.

According to Blaylock the keys in the start of the season are improvement and consistency.

"Our pitchers have worked very hard, and we've seen them develop from the fall to the spring, so I want to see them continue to improve in the first tournament," she said. "We also want to see our hitting lineup take shape, and come into place with consistent play."

The Salukis are set to begin the season at 10 a.m. ET on Friday, Feb. 8 against UNC-Greensboro. SIU will face the Spartans for the third time in the program's history and second-straight year to open the season.

Southern Illinois will also take on Coastal Carolina, for the first time in school history, on Friday, Feb. 8 at 12:15 p.m. ET.

On Saturday, Feb. 9, the Salukis play Minnesota at 10 a.m. ET and take on host Jacksonville at 7:15 p.m. ET. SIU leads the all-time series with both Minnesota and Jacksonville at 3-1-1 and 2-1 respectively.

In their final game of the tournament, the Salukis will face the Golden Gophers again at 9 a.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 10.

The Salukis return 13 letterwinners and eight position starters from a team that won 41 games, and advanced to a fifth-straight NCAA Tournament a year ago.