SIU baseball ended its regular season with a low-scoring home loss to Bradley on Saturday.

The teams combined for just three runs, and the Salukis didn’t score until a Ryan Sabo home run in the ninth inning. It wasn’t enough as the Braves pushed a run across in the sixth and ninth innings.

SIU starter Joey Marciano took the loss despite tossing seven innings giving up one run on five hits and striking out six. 

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Coach Ken Henderson said the junior lefty did all he could to get the Salukis (30-23-1, 11-10 Missouri Valley Conference) a win in the season finale.

“Joey threw very well for us today,” Henderson told Saluki Athletics. “He executed pitches and he got ahead of hitters better than he has been. His stuff is outstanding. When he doesn’t beat himself with command issues, he is a handful for hitters.”

Thirty wins are SIU’s most since the 2011-12 season. It is nearly three times as many wins as last season when the team went 12-46.

The Braves (27-19, 11-9 MVC) were led by starting pitcher Brent Stong. The senior righty gave up five hits, a walk and no runs over six innings. He struck out four en route to his second win of the season.

SIU enters the 2016 MVC tournament as the fourth seed and Bradley will be the third seed. The Salukis play the Evansville Purple Aces at 8 a.m. CT Wednesday at Bob Warn Field in Terre Haute, Ind. 

Tyler Davis can be reached at [email protected]