The University of Illinois and SIUC battles usually are emotional contests, and it will especially take on more meaning since Salukis have a score to settle.

The Salukis lost 7-5 to the Illini March 25 at Abe Martin Field. The game was a 12-inning affair that the Salukis could have won, but never could put the final blow to the Illini.

But the Salukis are catching the Illini after a four-game sweep against the University of Iowa. Illinois is 31-16 and are atop the Big Ten with a record of 15-5 in the conference.

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It is usually a pretty good game, baseball coach Dan Callahan said. In the past it has turned into a slugfest. I’ve very seldom been to a game at Illinois where the wind has not blown straight out.

SIUC is 17-29 and 9-15 in Missouri Valley Conference play. They are in eighth place and still in contention for the conference tournament, but only the top six teams get in the tournament. The Salukis have lost two in a row after they split two doubleheaders last weekend against Bradley University.

Callahan said he plans to use several pitchers in the mid-week contest at Illinois. But he is concerned about the future for the staff as they prepare for the final two weekend series of the season.

I just hope we are OK as far as our pitching, Callahan said. I think for the most part we’ve got some guys who are just going to have to pick it up on the mound. We are down to eight healthy pitchers.

The Salukis used five pitchers in the second game of the Sunday twinbill. The Salukis had tied the game 3-3 in the sixth, but SIUC pitching allowed three more runs in the seventh and the Braves beat the Salukis 14-3.

That can be demoralizing when you are struggling a little bit offensively to finally get back in a game then go back and give that back on the mound, Callahan said.

Callahan said the team is a little frustrated with losing twice to Bradley and dropping to eighth place in the conference. He said there is still time to secure a spot in the tournament.

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Everything is still bunched up, Callahan said. It would have definitely been nice to win three out of four this weekend. I thought after Saturday we would be in pretty good shape. You think if you win twice on Saturday you could at least split on Sunday at the worst. Unfortunately that didn’t happen. I think it is probably going to go down to the last weekend of the season.

One aspect he would like to see changed is the consistency of his players.

Good players or even players who develop into pro prospects are guys who are good over the long haul not good today and terrible tomorrow or good every once in awhile and terrible every once in a while, Callahan said. Those aren’t good players, let alone guys that turn themselves into pro prospects.

Callahan is beginning to wonder if some of his players are not taking care of themselves before games.

You can’t impose a curfew on Saturday night, Callahan said. You’d like to think that a Division I athlete has enough discipline to where they can take of themselves. I’m not implying that’s a problem.

I don’t understand how a team can do such a reversal from one day to the next. It boggles the mind to try to figure it out. You wonder sometimes if guys are taking care of business.

SIUC battles intrastate rival University of Illinois in Champaign at 3 p.m. today.

The game can be heard on WCIL 1020 AM or at http://www.siu.edu/~baseball.