CARBONDALE, Ill. (Interstat) — Southern Illinois hosts Valparaiso on Friday evening in a Missouri Valley Conference matchup at Abe Martin Field. First pitch is set under clear skies with a forecast of 66 degrees.

The Salukis (21-29) enter the series opener after a 9-7 loss to SIU Edwardsville on Tuesday. Southern Illinois had won three straight prior to that defeat, including a series sweep at Belmont from May 8-10.

The Beacons (11-35) have dropped four of their last five games, capped by an 11-0 shutout loss to Evansville on Sunday. Valparaiso has lost both games of this series’ first two meetings, including Thursday’s contest.

Players to watch

Valparaiso right-hander Nick Baffa has been the Beacons’ most reliable starter. In his last outing against Evansville on May 10, Baffa worked 7 innings, allowing 2 earned runs on 6 hits with 7 strikeouts. He also turned in a strong performance April 26 against Belmont, tossing 6 innings with 2 earned runs and 4 strikeouts. However, Baffa has been inconsistent — he surrendered 4 earned runs in 4 innings May 3 at Illinois State despite not allowing a hit.

For Southern Illinois, left fielder Kristian Sprawling leads the Salukis at the plate. Sprawling went 3-for-5 with an RBI in Tuesday’s loss to SIU Edwardsville. He has hit safely in six of his last eight games, including a 4-for-5 performance with a home run and 2 RBIs against Indiana State on May 1.

Recent history

Southern Illinois took Thursday’s series opener, though specific score details were not provided. The Salukis continue to build momentum after winning three of four series since late April, including a series victory over Murray State on April 25-26. Valparaiso, meanwhile, has struggled to string together wins, with its last victory coming May 8 against Evansville.

Projection

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 5-2 win for Southern Illinois.

Series note

The two teams meet again Saturday at Abe Martin Field for the second game of the three-game series.