Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Baseball	SIUE Baseball SIUE Athletics

Jeff Darnall

May 1, 2006 Cougars Clinch Berth In GLVC Tourney         EDWARDSVILLE, ILL. -- The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville baseball team enters the last week of the regular season looking to improve its standing for the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament.         The Cougars, 34-14-1 overall and 27-13-1 in the GLVC, will be in the tournament for the first time in three seasons.         “One of our goals to start the season was to make the conference tournament,” said SIUE assistant coach Tony Stoecklin. “We have changed our goals a little bit. Now we would like to make the (NCAA) regional.”         The six-team tournament runs from May 11-14 at GCS Ballpark in Sauget.         SIUE is percentage points out of third place in the league behind Rockhurst and one game behind second place Quincy.         SIUE battles Missouri-St. Louis for a home-at-home matchup this weekend. The Cougars face the Riverman Saturday at Roy Lee Field at 5 p.m., before a doubleheader at GCS Ballpark in Sauget Sunday. Sunday’s games begin at noon.         “We have to keep tallying wins,” said Stoecklin. “We would still like to catch Quincy.”         The Cougars dropped a pair of games to Bellarmine over the weekend, with the other two games being rained out last Sunday.         SIUE continues to lead the country in earned run average at 2.00. The Cougars have an NCAA record 18 shutouts on the season. SIUE has eight pitchers with an earned run average of 3.00 or better, and six hurlers with four or more victories.         “We talk about stringing together quality innings,” said Stoecklin. “We just try to focus on one strike, one out, and one inning at a time.”         Jeff Darnall (Atlanta) leads the offense with a .325 batting average, 14 doubles, and 31 RBIs. Darnall also ranks first on the team with eight hit by pitches.         “He has been our clutch hitter all year,” said Stoecklin. “When we have needed a big hit, he has come through.”         Kyle Jones (New Baden) has a 0.82 earned run average this season. Jones dropped his first decision of the season Saturday. He is now 8-1 with 79 strikeouts in 66 innings pitched this season.                 -siue cougars-