The Salukis traveled to Spartanburg, South Carolina Friday to start off their 2023 season with a four game series.

The Dawgs took on Wofford for their first game of the weekend to start their season off with a win. Southern tallied nine runs against the Terriers’ four.

Junior Steven Loden went 2-for-4 with two home runs to help bring home the win for the Salukis. Cole Christmas and Bennett Eltoft each had a home run, all in the first two innings.

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In the second game of the weekend on Saturday, the Salukis were taken down by Wofford in a close 8-7 game. The Salukis took the lead in the fourth inning thanks to a solo home run by Ryan Rodriguez.

Loden and Pier-Olivier Boucher each tallied singles to give Southern the advantage at 7-5, until the Terriers had a walk off hit in the bottom of the ninth to give them the win.

In game two of the Saturday double header the Salukis took on Towson and came out with a 4-3 win, putting them at 2-1. Jake Combs pitched five innings allowing only four hits and one earned run, striking out 18 batters.

Only three hits were tallied in the game, Rodrigues drove in Kaeber Rod with a double and Jack Rigoni hit a two-run single to bring in Boucher and Rodriguez.

Moving into their fourth and last game of the weekend, the Dawgs took on Wofford for a third time and were out scored once again 5-4.

Wofford tallied three runs off of Southerns reliever Tanner Lewis in the bottom of the fifth putting them up 5-3 just after SIU claimed their 3-2 lead.

A homer by Boucher in the top of the ninth wasn’t enough to put the Salukis back on top, giving the Terriers a 5-4 win and putting the Salukis a 2-2 to start the season.

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The Salukis will be back in action Tuesday, Feb. 21 in Clarksville, TN to take on Austin Peay at 3 pm.

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Sports Reporter Joei Younker can be reached at [email protected]

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