April 26, 2008

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com

WATERLOO, Iowa - Dean Cademartori hit a three-run homer and Southern Illinois University (23-18, 6-9) scored seven times in the ninth inning to come-from-behind and beat Northern Iowa (25-14, 11-4), 11-7, to complete a doubleheader sweep earlier today at Riverfront Stadium. The Salukis also won game one, 7-5.

SIU, which took two of three on the road from the Missouri Valley Conference's first-place team, won its first series in Waterloo since 1996.

The Salukis trailed the entire game before roaring back in the ninth.

Down, 7-4, with one out, eight-straight Salukis reached base and produced seven runs. Michael Finigan started things off with a pinch-hit walk and went to third when Owen Mackedon doubled to left center. Aaron Roberts walked to load the bases and Scott Elmendorf was hit by a pitch, allowing Finigan to score. Bret Maugeri then stepped in and tied the game up on a two-RBI single up the middle.

On the next play, Mark Kelly reached on an error by Panther shortstop Brandon Douglas and Elmendorf scored. Chris Crank followed with a single to left, before Cademartori blasted a three-run homer over the wall in center to ice the 11-7 win.

"I was proud of the way we battled back. We got the big hits we needed and pitched well out of our bullpen," said Saluki head coach Dan Callahan. "This was a huge series win for us."

Lefthanders Jimmy Cornell and Daniel Wells did outstanding work out of the bullpen to keep SIU in the game.

Cornell allowed three hits and struck out a career-high six in four scoreless innings before giving way to Wells in the eighth.

Wells (3-1) went on to strike out four of the six hitters he faced en route to getting his third win of the season.

SIU registered 13 hits in the nightcap, with 10 coming from Kelly (2), Crank (3), Cademartori (3) and Mackedon (2). Cademartori finished at 3-for-5 with two runs scored a triple, home run and five RBI. It was the second time this season, where Cademartori knocked in five runs in a game.

Panther closer Joe Gonzalez (1-1) suffered the loss. Gonzalez gave up seven runs and five hits in 1.2 innings. He also walked three.

Deric Manrique, Dane Embury and Douglas combined for eight hits, five runs and seven RBI at the top of the lineup to spearhead the Panthers offensively.

SIU snapped a streak of three consecutive series losses in league play.

The Salukis conclude their nine-game road stretch with midweek games at Illinois (Apr. 29) and Murray State (Apr. 30) next week.

Southern Illinois 7, Northern Iowa 5

A five-run first inning was the difference in Southern's game one.

The Salukis batted around and sent 10 men to the plate to get the early advantage against UNI starting lefthander Taylor Sinclair. SIU scored on a passed ball and used RBI-singles by Crank, Tyler Lairson and Mackedon to build its 5-0 lead.

SIU later led, 7-2, after Crank launched a solo home run in the third and Mackedon scored on a two-out single by Roberts in the eighth.

However, the Panthers would not go down quietly.

After pushing across one run in the eighth, Eddie Almonte's leadoff walk sparked a late rally for the Panthers in the ninth. Almonte fell behind 0-2 in the count before looking at four-straight balls from Saluki starting righthander Cody Adams. Cory Ege and Manrique followed with back-to-back singles, and Almonte scored.

With runners on first and second and no outs, Embury popped up to SIU second baseman Elmendorf. With Embury already out on the play due to the infield fly rule, Elmendorf dropped the ball. As a result, Ege and Manrique each moved up a base. A run-scoring single by Douglas followed, as UNI narrowed the gap to 7-5.

On the next play, Chris Lopez lifted a pop fly to shallow right center. Elmendorf converged on the ball from second base, made a circus catch and doubled up Douglas at first to end the game.

Adams (3-3), who took the mound for his first Saturday start of the season, earned his first win in over a month. Adams, who last won against Indiana State on Mar. 21, beat the Panthers for the first time in his Saluki career.

Adams gave up 10 hits and five runs, walked two and struck out seven in eight innings.

Adam Curynski, who was on the receiving end of Elmendorf's game-ending double play at first base, picked up his second save.

Sinclair (5-2) took the loss for UNI. He gave up eight hits and six runs in six innings. Sinclair also struck out seven and walked three.

Offensively, each team pounded out 11 hits. Crank matched a career-high three hits to lead SIU. He went 3-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and two RBI.