The Salukis scored the winning run in the eighth inning or later in both games to sweep the series during the team’s final two weekend series games against Eastern Kentucky University.

SIU senior infielder Wes Neece said EKU was a tough opponent despite the sweep.

“It’s always tough to beat a team three days in a row,” he said. “They played hard, just like we did, and they battled. It could’ve easily been the other way around, if some things didn’t go our way.”

Senior pitcher Cody Forsythe started Friday against EKU sophomore pitcher Ben Gullo. Forsythe retired seven batters and allowed two runs in seven innings. Gullo pitched nine innings and allowed three runs off of four hits.

The Salukis scored their first run in the second inning when junior outfielder Ryan Casillas reached first base. Casillas then stole second base to leave himself in scoring position. SIU senior outfielder Nick Johnson then hit a ball to EKU senior first basemen Alex Hughes. His fumble enabled Casillas to score.

EKU added two runs in the top of the third when sophomore catcher John Wilson singled to left field with two men on base. Colonels senior shortstop Matt Phipps and freshman second baseman Kenny Hostrander scored to put the Colonels up 2-1.

Then SIU junior catcher Matt Jones hit a double to left center in the bottom of the ninth inning, which scored SIU junior infielder Jake Welch. Welch’s run tied the game at 2 and put it into extra innings.

EKU senior outfielder Austin Grisham led the tenth inning, doubling to left center. Freshman third basemen Doug Teegarden singled to left field in the next at-bat, and Grisham advanced to third. EKU senior shortstop Matt Phipps then hit into a fielder’s choice and left Grisham at third base.

Colonels sophomore outfielder Demetrius Moorer then hit a single to right field and scored Teegarden from second to notch the Colonels’ lead to 3-2.

Gullo walked SIU junior outfielder Donny Duschinsky to start the inning, and sophomore Tanner Renner pinch ran for Duschinsky. Renner advanced to second base after Johnson grounded out to Colonels’ junior pitcher Scott Myles. Still down 3-2, SIU senior designated hitter Wes Neece doubled to center field as Renner scored from second base to tie the game at three apiece.

Junior shortstop Ryan Rosthenhausler hit a single up the middle in the next at-bat, which allowed Neece to score and win the game 4-3. Rosthenhausler said he had a feeling the Salukis would win the game in the 10th inning.

“I told Jake Welch when I was on deck, ‘Sorry that you’re not going to hit, because I’m going to win the game right here,’” he said. “I was feeling pretty good, and good things happened.”

The Salukis started the runs early in the first inning when Welch hit a lead-off single against EKU. SIU senior outfielder Rennie Troggio then laid down a sacrifice bunt and moved Welch to second, and Jones hit a grounder to Phipps, who couldn’t handle it. This allowed Welch to score and make the game 1-0.

The Colonels struck back in the top of the fifth inning with a game tying run. Hughes singled up the middle to start the Colonels’ inning. After a sacrifice bunt by Phipps and a wild pitch by Saluki starting pitcher junior Derek Fogel, EKU sophomore outfielder Demetrius Moorer hit a fly ball to center field and allowed Hughes to score and tie the game at one run.

After SIU scored another run in the sixth inning and made the score 2-1, the team delivered clutch hitting to score more insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth and ended the game at 4-1.

Then junior pitcher Todd Eaton relieved junior pitcher Aaron Snyder in the top of the ninth. Eaton forced the first three batters into outs and struck out the final batter to win the game and grab his fourth save of the season.

Saluki head coach Ken Henderson said the bullpen kept the team in the game late.

“Our bullpen was great today,” he said. “Shimkus was good. He got in a jam there and worked his way out of it, and Snyder and Todd were awfully good, as they have been most of the year.”

The Salukis’ next game is at 3 p.m. today against Murray State University at Abe Martin Field.