vs. Eastern Illinois
Edwardsville, Ill. (Cougar Field)

Friday, March 29, 3 p.m. start
Saturday, March 30 (DH), 1 p.m. start
Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: SIUEstats.com

IN-STATE RIVALRY
SIUE welcomes Eastern Illinois for a three-game series at Cougar Field. The series begins with a 3 p.m. game Friday followed by a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday.
LAST TIME OUT
SIUE dropped a 19-9 contest at Illinois. The Cougars recorded a season-high 20 total bases in the loss. The nine runs was the second most this season.
SERIES RECORDS
The Cougars are 27-21 all-time against the Panthers. Eastern Illinois has won the last five meetings in the series.
LONGEST HITTING STREAK
Paige Rocha holds the longest hitting streak in Division I heading into the Eastern Illinois series. She has recorded a hit in 24 straight games, reaching back to the Texas A&M Commerce series in February. The school record is 27 set by SIUE Hall of Famer Erin Newman in 2001.
SIUE'S TOP FOUR HITTING STREAKS OF DIVISION I ERA
24, Paige Rocha (2024); 15, Alyssa Heren (2017); 15, Paige Rocha (2022); 14, Lexi King (2022)
HIT MACHINE
Rocha recorded a Division I era-best 74 hits last season. It was the most hits by a Cougar since Alicia DeShasier hit 82 in 2006. All four of the players who have more hits in a season by the Cougars now reside in the SIUE Athletics Hall of Fame (DeShasier, Jenny Esker, Katie Waldo and Erin Newman). Rocha continued that trend with a team-leading 48 hits this season. She is ranked 19th nationally (through Tuesday's games) while leading the OVC.
TOUGHEST TO FAN
Lauren Yslava is fourth in the OVC in toughest to strike out (1 out of every 18.6 AB). Rylie Pindel is second in the OVC in saves with three. Jenna Heron is second in the OVC in sacrifice bunts per game (9.20).
DOUBLE TROUBLE
Rocha added her 14th double of the season Wednesday in a three-hit performance at Illinois. She is ranked No. 7 nationally in doubles through Tuesday's games. Herron is ranked sixth in the OVC and 122nd nationally in doubles with eight.
NEXT WEEK
SIUE has five games scheduled for next week. The Cougars travel to Peoria, Illinois, for a Wednesday doubleheader before returning home to face Western Illinois in a three-game series at Cougar Field.
YEAR TWO
Lone Tree, Iowa, native Ben Sorden is in his second season as head coach of the Cougars. Sorden came to SIUE after holding positions at Michigan State and Indiana, helping the pitching staffs to national honors and top-notch results.