The Saluki baseball team has only seven games left of its regular season, but there is more than wins and losses at stake.

Senior shortstop Jake Welch moved into ninth place in Saluki history with 213 career games during the weekend, five behind pitching coach P.J. Finigan.

Finigan was a Saluki infielder and pitcher from 2002-2005. He was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the seventh round of the 2005 draft and played professionally as a pitcher for three seasons.

Welch passed Finigan in career at-bats last season, and is on pace to pass him in career runs and career hits. Welch is one run and one hit away from tying Finigan in those categories.

“I hope he beats all my records,” Finigan said. “I don’t mind, not one bit.”

Finigan said if Welch passes him in the record book, he would probably give Welch more grief than Welch would give him.

“He’s a pretty quiet, lead by example kid,” he said. “We’ll probably share a laugh about it, but it will probably be me bringing it out more than him.”

“I know he’s much more accomplished than I am,” Welch said. “I might get him in a few things, but he played quite a bit of pro ball and I think he’s got that on me.”

Finigan is eighth in career runs and ninth in career hits. Welch is directly behind him in both categories.

“It’s definitely an honor to be mentioned in the same sentence as him because he’s a legend here,” Welch said.

Welch said he has grown close to Finigan during his career.

Finigan said he helped a freshman Welch play shortstop. He said he has an outside perspective coaching Welch because he is the pitching coach.

Two Saluki pitchers are close in numbers as well.

Senior right-handed pitcher Todd Eaton was a closing pitcher for the majority of his collegiate career, but made the transition to become a starter this season. He is tied with former Saluki Al Levine at 19 saves for second in the Saluki record books, but his roommate, senior right-handed pitcher Tyler Dray, is closing in on him.

Dray has been a relief pitcher his whole career. Dray’s seven saves this season gives him 16 for his career, good for fourth in Saluki history.

“Everything we do is pretty competitive,” Eaton said. “(Dray) definitely lets me hear it every time he gets a save and gets one closer.”

Eaton said the two of them have a roommate rivalry as well. He said when they play video games things can get intense.

The pitching staff has a pink backpack full of candy and sunflower seeds they carry around every week. They vote on the pitcher who has to carry the bag and protect it from positional players. Finigan said Dray tried to get everyone to vote for Eaton this past week. The vote ended up being a tie, but the bullpen catcher gets a tie-breaking vote.

“Early in the year Todd got everyone together and had everyone vote for me to carry the pitchers bag,” Dray said. “I thought I would try to do it this week, but it backfired, I ended up getting it.”

Eaton said he stands by his choice of becoming a starter, even if Dray passes him.