SIU redshirt senior ace Aaron Hauge will miss at least the next weekend with a slight tear in the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow.

Hauge first felt discomfort in his left elbow in an April 10 start at Indiana State. He exited his last start, SIU’s game against Illinois State on April 17 in the third inning. 

“It felt pretty good up until about the third inning,” Hauge said. “Then I had a shooting pain through my elbow. That’s when [pitching coach P.J. Finigan] and the trainer came out.” 

An MRA [Magnetic Resonance Angiogram] found the tear Thursday. Saluki coach Ken Henderson said with four weeks left in his senior season Hauge would rehab as though he was returning.

“The alternative is surgery,” Henderson said. “And what’s the point of having surgery? He can do that in a month.”

Sophomore Kyle Pauly pitched five innings of one-run baseball at Illinois with an injury similar to Hauge’s before being shut down for the season. Pauly had Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery last week.

Hauge will throw a bullpen session Monday and see a doctor again Tuesday. He said he is taking the recovery process day by day and has not ruled out a Friday return. Henderson said the soonest Hauge would return would be May 8 against Missouri State. 

Henderson said the decision to return lies with Hauge.

“We’re going to support him whatever he does,” Henderson said.

Hauge is 3-3 in 10 starts this season with a 2.34 ERA. 

Sophomore Chad Whitmer took Hauge’s spot in the rotation last Friday against Dallas Baptist, allowing 5 runs in 5 1/3 innings.

Thomas Donley can be reached at [email protected] or at 536-3311 ext. 269.