SIU baseball is in the bottom half of the Missouri Valley Conference standings, but still clinging to an over .500 record.

The Saluki baseball team (17-14, 2-4) dropped its second consecutive conference series, but solidified two-thirds of the starting outfield.

Freshman center fielder Dyllin Mucha played harder than anyone on the team last weekend. Mucha battled every at-bat and collected six hits, two of which came on bunts.

Coach Ken Henderson said Mucha earned the starting spot in center field. He has started the last 15 games and leads the team in batting average and on-base percentage, but only has 46 at-bats. Regardless, Mucha has the potential to be productive.

Henderson said he doesn’t want to move Mucha up in the batting order because he doesn’t want to interfere with his success. If Mucha keeps batting the way he is now, he should move up a spot or two. He could be a good leadoff hitter after senior Jake Welch graduates, but when regular starters play, the first five spots in the lineup are occupied.

Henderson said one other freshman has also claimed a starting role going forward. Freshman Will Farmer was the best defensive option at third base going into this season, but has become the best overall option.

Farmer has similar numbers to freshman Ryan Sabo; so either of them could potentially start every game. Henderson said he wants to play his best defenders, so Farmer will start, at least temporarily. Henderson said he also wants to figure out a way to put freshman Connor Kopach in the lineup more often.

Kopach is one of the best defenders on the team, and a great base runner. If he can figure out how to hit better, he will easily start the majority of next year’s games at either middle infield position. Both starting middle infielders are seniors.

The team’s top-two outfielders are locked in, but after that, it is up for grabs. Junior outfielder Parker Osborne is productive on the field and at the plate. Osborne has a 10-game hitting streak, and has made some of the best defensive plays on the team this season.

With Osborne in left and Mucha in center, right field is left open. Henderson has been playing the matchups. When the opposing team starts a left-handed pitcher, Henderson starts senior Donny Duschinsky. When the opposing team starts a right-handed pitcher, Henderson starts junior Tyler Rolland.

It makes sense to do so. Their stats are similar, and batters traditionally hit better against a pitcher throwing with the opposite arm. Duschinsky brings more power than Rolland, but Rolland gets on base more than Duschinsky. It’s a coin toss. The only thing Henderson can do is manage the matchups.

Henderson said the veterans have to battle every at-bat and can’t change their swing if it works. He said some players were trying too much, and the team’s stats without runners on base are much better than the stats with runners on base.

As for pitching, Freshman Austin McPheron (1-0) has thrown his way into the starting rotation. McPheron started April 1 against the University of Missouri. Freshman Connor McFadden (1-1) has been the primary fourth starter this season, but Henderson said he plans on starting McPheron Tuesday.

McFadden pitched Wednesday against Murray State University. Henderson said he has some of the best stuff on the team, but he needs to figure out what he’s doing wrong.

McFadden recorded only one out against the Thoroughbreds, and has the highest ERA on the team.

The other starting pitchers will not, and should not change. McFadden needs to continue pitching, even if it’s from the bullpen. His movement and speed are good; he just needs to figure out his control. He walks too many batters, but at the same time he has one of the best strikeouts per nine innings ratio.

If McFadden can control his pitches, he will be back in the rotation by his senior season.

Aaron Graff can be contacted at , @Aarongraff_DE or 536-3311 ext. 269