EVANSVILLE, Ind. (Interstat) — Two Missouri Valley Conference teams looking to gain traction will meet Saturday when the Evansville Purple Aces host the Southern Illinois Salukis in an afternoon matchup at Charles H. Braun Stadium.

The game, scheduled for a 2 p.m. first pitch under partly cloudy skies and 77-degree temperatures, features teams with nearly identical records. Evansville (11-19) holds a slight edge in the series after a shutout victory over Southern Illinois (12-19) on Friday night.

Southern Illinois will look to bounce back behind the bat of Kyle Mager. The Salukis’ player to watch is coming off a powerful pinch-hit performance last Tuesday, belting a grand slam in a 6-5 loss to Southeast Missouri State. In his last five games, Mager is 3-for-6 with a home run and five RBIs.

Evansville counters with a key arm in Jack Willhite. The pitcher to watch for the Purple Aces is fresh off a strong start last Wednesday, throwing five innings and allowing just one earned run in a 9-2 win over Lindenwood. Willhite has been effective in relief this season, posting a 0.00 ERA over two innings in a win over Indiana on March 31.

Both teams have struggled for consistency. The Salukis have lost seven of their last ten, including that one-run defeat to SEMO. Evansville has been uneven but is coming off a convincing midweek victory.

According to Interstat’s game simulator, the projection favors the Purple Aces in a 5-3 final.

The series concludes Sunday afternoon at Braun Stadium. Southern Illinois will then host Arkansas State on Tuesday, while Evansville travels to face Indiana next Wednesday.