Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Baseball	SIUE Baseball SIUE Athletics

Michael Dalpozzo

April 19, 2005 Baseball Heads To KWC and Saint Joseph's         Southern Illinois University Edwardsville baseball is currently riding a six-game winning streak as it travels this week to face Kentucky Wesleyan and Saint Joseph's.         The Cougars are 20-17 overall and 11-11 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. SIUE is tied for sixth place in the league with the Panthers and Southern Indiana. The top six teams advance to the conference tournament.         "It's seems like it has been a long time since we have gotten over the .500 mark," said SIUE baseball coach Gary Collins. "It feels pretty good."         The Cougars took four games from Upper Iowa over the weekend after defeating Missouri-St. Louis in two games on Thursday. SIUE outscored its opponents 39-15 during the six games.         The Nos. 7, 8 and 9 hitters in the Cougars lineup have sparked the winning streak, batting .406 with 17 RBIs and 10 runs scored.         "The first six guys in our lineup have hit all year," said Collins. "Now the bottom of our order has really started to deliver. That helps a bunch."         Michael DalPozzo (Livingston) led the charge from the bottom of the lineup as he batted .529 collecting nine hits during the stretch. DalPozzo came into last week hitting 2-18 (.111).         Robert Rahn (Wood River) notched nine hits batting .409 with six RBIs in the six games from the ninth spot in the order. Shortstop Brian Newby (Bartonville) batted .411 last week with five RBIs and five runs scored.         Outfielder Cory Bunner (Jacksonville) is batting .309 on the season with an 11-game hitting streak after a 10-for-25 performance against UMSL and Upper Iowa.         Outfielder Jeff Darnall (Atlanta) also sports an 11-game hitting streak and is .333 for the season.         Clay Zavada (Steator) notched his first win of the year over Upper Iowa. Zavada struck out 11 while giving up five hits for the complete game shutout.         "We are starting to get a mix of good hitting and good pitching," said Collins. "That is something we have needed all year long."         The Cougars face Kentucky Wesleyan on Wednesday in Owensboro, Ky. at 1 p.m. They will follow that up with a trip to Rensselaer, Ind. to face GLVC leader St. Joseph's on Saturday and Sunday. The first pitch in both doubleheaders coming at Noon.                 -siue cougars-