After a week of inactivity, SIUC should have enough bottled up energy to open Missouri Valley Conference play.

Because of bad weather, the Salukis’ doubleheaders with Eastern Illinois University and Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville were canceled during the week. A makeup date will be set for the games with SIUE, but not for EIU.

SIUC enters the conference season having had only one day of practice this week. After a third-place finish in the Saluki Invitational last weekend, SIUC coach Kay Brechtelsbauer said the mid-week games would have helped.

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The Salukis (18-7-1) open with a two games against Indiana State University (8-16) 12 p.m. Saturday. Illinois State University visits IAW Fields Sunday for another noon doubleheader.

I’d much rather we played after this weekend, Brechtelsbauer said. But those are the adjustments players and coaches have to make.

Without practice or game situations, the Salukis had little time to make adjustments. A lack of timely hitting has plagued the team in recent games. Junior first baseman Theresa Shields leads the team with a .375 average and 19 RBIs. As a team, SIUC is hitting .274 clip, but in its two losses in the invitational, SIUC stranded 16.

What we need to do is get back out and just play, Brechtelsbauer said. We’ve been concerned with our performance in terms of getting a hit. We’ve done the work in practice, and now we need to go out there and let it happen.

The key for the game will be getting off to a good start offensively, Brechtelsbauer said. Pitching has not been a problem, with the trio of sophomore Carisa Winters, sophomore Tracy Remspecher and freshman Erin Stremsterfer on the mound.

But this fairly young has shown some immaturity at the plate. Brechtelsbauer said her players have panicked when the team has been down.

Particularly when we get behind, we tend to press a little bit, Brechtelsbauer said. It’s not unusual for a young group of hitters, but we’ve got to get past and play the way we did early in the year.

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The Salukis play noon doubleheaders with Indiana State Saturday Illinois State University Sunday at IAW Fields.