Dates: Fri., Mar. 18 vs. Western Illinois, 6:30 p.m.
Sat., Mar. 19 vs. Western Illinois, 2 p.m.
Sun., Mar. 20 vs. Western Illinois, 1 p.m.
Site: Hammons Field
Location: Springfield, Mo.
TV: None
Radio: KBFL 1060 AM
Live Audio: www.RadioSpringfield.com
Live Stats: www.MissouriStateBears.com
Live Video: None
The Missouri State baseball team (9-8) renews a conference rivalry from the 1980s this weekend when it welcomes Western Illinois (2-13) to Hammons Field for a three-game series. The Bears and Leathernecks square off at 6:30 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
Starting Nine
Nine things to know about the Bears against Western Illinois...
1. Missouri State is 22-3 all-time against Western Illinois and has won the last 21 meetings. All 25 games between the schools took place between 1984 and 1990, when both were members of what was then known as the AMCU.
2. The Bears are in midst of playing eight of nine games at Hammons Field, where the team is 4-1 with a .337 average and 2.57 ERA this season.
3. Missouri State has a 3.85 team ERA and .255 opponent average over the last 13 games.
4. MSU's offense has hit at least .300 against seven of the 12 teams the Bears have played this season while registering at least eight hits in all but one contest.
5. The Bears are outscoring opponents 25-7 and hitting .377 in the first inning with a .490 on-base percentage.
6. Missouri State is hitting .332 against opposing starting pitchers. Starters have a 6.08 ERA against the Bears and average just 4.35 innings per start.
7. Missouri State leads the MVC in batting average at .307. Bears occupy four of the top eight spots in the league in hits, with Aaron Conway leading the way with 31 followed by Brent Seifert (26 - 2nd) and Brock Chaffin and Keenen Maddox tied for seventh with 21 apiece.
8. MSU's bullpen has a 3.29 ERA and is holding opponents to a .246 batting average this season.
9. Keith Guttin is now 32 wins shy of the 1,000 mark in his 29th season at Missouri State.
The Opponent
Western Illinois is 2-13 on the season with wins over Georgia State and Indiana State. The Leathernecks hit .246 as a team with three players above the .300 mark. Tom Lilja leads the team with four homers and 10 RBIs.
WIU pitching has a 6.58 ERA and allows opponents to hit .298. Dan Russell has both of the team's wins with a 3.12 ERA in 26 innings.
The Leathernecks have committed 31 errors and field .947 as a team.
Coach Keith Guttin
Missouri State head coach Keith Guttin (Missouri-St. Louis, 1978) is in his 29th season as head coach of the baseball Bears and has a career record of 968-615 (.611). Guttin became the first coach at Missouri State (in any sport) to reach the 900-win mark with the May 11, 2008, win over Middle Tennessee at Hammons Field. In 2003, Guttin led the Bears to the NCAA Division I College World Series for the first time in school history. Guttin has been a conference Coach of the Year 10 times with four of those coming in the Valley and six coming during the Bears’ years in the Mid-Continent Conference. During Guttin’s tenure, the Bears have made seven Division I NCAA Tournament appearances -- six in the last 15 years.
Last Time Out
Missouri State split a midweek series with SEMO at Hammons Field. On Tuesday, the Redhawks won 8-7 in 13 innings, holding the Bears hitless after the seventh inning as the teams combined to pitch 36 strikeouts.
Wednesday, Travis McComack's sacrifice fly in the ninth drove in the winning run for a 2-1 final. Nick Petree pitched seven innings without allowing an earned run in the start.
Quick Hits
• Missouri State closed the month of February with a winning record (4-3) for the fourth time in the 2000s. The Bears have gone on to win at least 40 games the other three times. MSU also had a winning February record in 1999, and though it failed to reach 40 wins, it did go 38-19 and make the NCAA Tournament.
• Juniors Kevin Medrano and Travis McComack have started 96 games together on the middle infield in their careers, combining to turn 42 double plays.
• Fourteen of the 27 players on Missouri State's roster did not see action for the Bears last season, and 12 of those are new to the program altogether.
• Missouri State has struck out 110 times in its first 17 games, or 6.46 per nine innings, a 28.4 percent decrease from its 2010 rate.
• Bears pitchers went 14 innings over three games from Feb. 26 to Mar. 1 without issuing a walk.
Home Sweet Home
Missouri State is 4-1 at home this season and 115-69 all-time at Hammons Field.
The Bears are hitting .337 as a team in their home park and fielding .962, while the pitching staff has a 2.57 ERA and limits opponents to a .202 batting average.
Strength of Schedule
Missouri State opponents are now 223-178 (.556) for games played through Mar. 16.
Players of the Week
Aaron Conway became Missouri State's first award winner of 2011 with an MVC Player of the Week nod March 7. Conway batted .650 (13-20) in four MSU wins, scoring seven runs with five doubles, three RBIs and three stolen bases.
Preseason Awards
Three Bears made the preseason all-MVC team while Kevin Medrano was honored as a preseason third-team All-American by College Baseball Lineup.
Joining Medrano on the all-conference squad were senior outfielder Aaron Conway and sophomore pitcher Grant Gordon.
Radio Broadcasts
All Missouri State games beginning March 15 and beyond will be broadcast on Meyer Communications stations with the exception of March 25 at Oral Roberts and April 1 and 2 at Saint Louis.
Art Hains will describe the action on KBFL 1060 AM and live over the internet at www.RadioSpringfield.com.
Up-to-date schedule and station assignments can be found on the baseball schedule page at www.MissouriStateBears.com.
Bears on TV
Missouri State will have three games this season televised live on Mediacom Connection Channel 22 in Springfield. Mediacom will broadcast games against Wichita State (April 8, 6:30 p.m.),Arkansas (April 12, 6:30 p.m.) and Missouri (May 3, 6:30 p.m.).
New Rules For 2011
Several rule changes take effect in 2011, the most drastic involving bat specifications.
All bats must now meet a Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR) standard. The BBCOR is a scientific test measuring how much energy the bat transfers to the ball on contact. It takes into account incoming ball speed, rebounded ball speed, as well as the weight and inertia of the bat during a swing.
Bats complying with the new guidelines also do not increase in performance after being broken in, unlike many of the composite bats used in recent seasons.
Two rules pertaining to pace of play include the stricter enforcement of the current 20-second rule between pitches without runners on base, while a 90-second limit between innings will be enforced for non-televised games.
Finally, a change in the obstruction rules now provides a fielder who has established himself the opportunity to field and throw without penalty.
