May 10, 2008

Box Score

By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com

NORMAL, Ill. - Southern Illinois University (28-21, 9-12) split a doubleheader with Illinois State (22-26, 6-15) earlier today at Duffy Bass Field. The Salukis, who won a series against the Redbirds in Normal for the first time in 12 years, took game one, 10-5, and dropped the nightcap, 2-1, in 12 innings.

With the series win, SIU likely assured itself of a berth to the 2008 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. Mathematically, Indiana State could still pass the Dawgs for the sixth-place spot, but the Sycamores would have to win four of their next five and SIU would have to lose all three games against Evansville next week.

The phrase, "third time's a charm," held true for ISU in the nightcap, as Kyle Cherney ripped Jimmy Cornell's first offering into right field to score Mike Stalowy for the 2-1 marathon win. The Redbirds loaded the bases with no outs before Cherney came through.

Prior to that, ISU had the winning run gunned down at the plate in the 10th and stranded the game-winning run at third base in the 11th.

SIU only had three hits in the last seven innings of the game and came up empty with the bases loaded during its biggest scoring threat in the top of the eighth.

Kyle Nelson (2-1) earned the win on the mound for the `Birds. Nelson one-hit the Dawgs through 4.2 innings of shutout baseball. He also struck out three and walked one.

Bryant George (1-3) suffered the loss for SIU. George gave up one hit, walked three and allowed the winning run.

SIU's pitchers recorded a season-high 13 strikeouts in the loss.

Offensively, the Salukis only had five hits, with Tyler Bullock driving in SIU's only run in the second.

SIU faces Saint Louis in a wood bat game in Sauget, Ill., Tuesday, before wrapping up its regular-season at home against Evansville (May 15-17).

Southern Illinois 10, Illinois State 5

Senior lefthander Shawn Joy allowed only four hits and three runs in eight innings to key Southern's game one win.

Joy one-hit ISU through six innings and retired 13-straight Redbird hitters between the second and sixth frames.

While Joy set the tone on the mound, SIU's offense gave him a 6-0 lead to work with after scoring once in the second and third innings, and four times in the sixth.

The Salukis batted around, loaded the bases and used a two-RBI single by Aaron Roberts and run-scoring hits by Scott Elmendorf and Dean Cademartori to fuel their big sixth inning. All of SIU's runs in that inning came with two outs.

SIU loaded the bases again, this time with no outs in the eighth. Roberts knocked in Bret Maugeri and Mark Kelly touched home when Tyler Lairson grounded out to second to push across two more runs.

The Dawgs tacked on another two tallies in the ninth courtesy of one-out RBI-hits by Kelly and Cademartori.

ISU rallied late, scoring all five of its runs in the last three innings of the game, but it wasn't enough.

Joy improved to 5-2 on the year and remained undefeated in league play at 4-0.

Tyler Cox (4-4) suffered the loss. Cox gave up nine hits and four runs in 5.2 innings. He also struck out two and walked two.

SIU registered 18 hits, marking its most in a conference game this season. Roberts went 4-for-6 with a run scored and four RBI. His four runs batted in matched a career-high. Maugeri and Cademartori followed with three hits each. Maugeri also scored four runs, tying his career-high. All nine Saluki starters got a hit.

SIU stranded 16 baserunners in the game, as well.