Southern Illinois baseball only scored in one inning, but Michael Baird and the bullpen made sure that was all the Salukis needed in a 4-0 win at Evansville on Saturday.

Baird (9-3, 1.49 ERA) pitched seven shutout innings to earn the win and give the Dawgs (30-19-1, 11-6 Missouri Valley Conference) their fourth straight series win. The sophomore scattered eight hits, walking three batters and striking out two. He held the Purple Aces (25-23, 7-10) to one hit in 12 at-bats with runners in scoring position.

Junior shortstop Will Farmer drove in the Salukis’ first two runs with a one-out single in the fifth – SIU’s only hit with runners in scoring position in eight tries. Sophomore second baseman Connor Kopach followed with his second two-run homer in as many days to round out the scoring.

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Freshman left-hander Alex Weigand (3-3, 5.16 ERA) was saddled with the loss, allowing all four runs on nine hits in six innings of work.

Kopach’s three hits were a game-high. Senior left fielder Josh Jyawook, senior catcher Boomer Synek and junior second baseman Trey Hair – Evansville’s 2-4 hitters – led the Aces with two hits each.

Junior Austin McPheron and sophomore Ryan Netemeyer each provided a hitless inning of relief  for SIU.

Junior lefty Joey Marciano will take the mound for the Dawgs as they go for the sweep at 1 p.m. Sunday.

Thomas Donley can be reached at [email protected] or at 618-536-3307