SIU sophomore pitcher Sam Coonrod struck out seven batters in his first Saluki win against Western Kentucky University in the team’s first home series of the season.

It was also the Hilltoppers’ first away series this season. The Salukis allowed one run in nine innings and won Sunday’s game 6-1. However, the Salukis allowed six runs in Monday’s game and lost 6-4 to post a 5-5 record on the season.

Coonrod started Sunday’s game. He allowed one run in six innings and struck out seven Hilltoppers. Coonrod picked up his first win of season but pitched in two prior wins for the Salukis. SIU is 3-0 with Coonrod on the mound this year.

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Although he was held on a strict pitch count, Coonrod said it doesn’t affect the way he pitches during a game.

“I don’t worry about the pitch count while I’m pitching,” he said. “I know what’s coming, and I know I’m not going to pitch a whole game, but that’ll change once the warm weather comes.”

The Salukis notched runs early as they scored in the first inning of Sunday’s game. Senior right fielder Austin Montgomery advanced to first base on a fielder’s choice hit, and junior shortstop Ryan Rosthenhausler scored from third to lead by one.

The Salukis scored again in the bottom of the fourth when junior infielder Cody Daily teed off, scorched the ball to left field and reached second base. Two runners scored off of Daily’s double for a two-run Saluki lead.

Although there wasn’t much offense on Sunday, coach Ken Henderson said he was impressed with Daily’s hitting.

“It wasn’t a great offensive day, but we had some good clutch hits like Cody Daily’s double on a 3-2 pitch with a couple guys on was huge,” he said.

The game’s final runs came from a Saluki surge in the bottom of the seventh inning, when junior infielder Jake Welch and junior catcher Matt Jones scored to build a 6-1 Saluki lead.

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SIU started senior left-handed pitcher Cody Forsythe in his second game of the season Monday. Forsythe allowed three earned runs, struck out one batter in 7.1 innings pitched. WKU senior pitcher Tim Bado got the start, but WK junior pitcher Tanner Perkins won the game.

The Hilltoppers’ senior infielder Ryan Huck then hit a fly out to right field, and freshman infielder Thomas Peter scored to put the team up 2-0.

The Salukis then rallied in the next two innings with two runs to even the score. The first run was scored in the bottom of the fourth inning by SIU senior infielder Brock Harding. Then in the bottom of the fifth inning the Salukis’ Welch scored an unearned run to tie the game 2-2.

The Hilltoppers then answered with a four-run eighth inning to lead the Salukis 6-3. WKU held on to take the game 6-4.

Montgomery said although he expected to win both games, he is excited with how well the offense has produced this year.

“We had a slow start but I feel like we are getting pretty consistent and we are scoring pretty much every inning or every other inning so I feel like that is where it needs to be until the end of the year,” he said.

The Salukis next game is Tuesday against Murray State University at 2pm. before they have another home series against Northern Illinois University this weekend in Carbondale.