 After again making the postseason in 2011 with a 58-38 record but again falling to River City in the Division Series, Southern Illinois made the playoffs as a wild card entrant at 55-39, finishing one win ahead of Windy City and the Schaumburg Boomers.The Miners would face the Traverse City Beach Bums, who finished with the league's best record at 64-32, in the division series round.In Game 1 on the road, the Miners shut out the Beach Bums 1-0 behind a solo home run by postseason all-star outfielder Javier Herrera (acquired in a trade with the Rockford RiverHawks earlier in the season) and eight shutout innings from ace right-hander David Harden.