Gallery • 6 Photos

Arjun Tsapalasetty | [email protected]

Ben Riffe (34) pitches the ball in the second game of the non-conference play against the Ohio Bobcats March 04, 2023 at the Itchy Jones Stadium in Carbondale, Ill.

Southern Illinois hosted Ohio at Itch Jones stadium for three games this past weekend. 

Starting the three game series with a double header on Saturday, the Salukis won game one of the day 11-9. Earning six runs in the fifth inning that was started by Cole Chrisman’s two run home run. The other four runs were earned by one walk and hitting streak of five hits. 

Game two was won in a similar fashion, with lots of offense, but the dawgs limited Ohio’s offense this time, 11-3 and setting up a potential sweep the next day.

Ohio took the lead of game three in the top of the seventh inning making the score 8-6. The Salukis took the lead back in the bottom of the seventh scoring three runs followed by two in the eighth inning where they held Ohio to only one run ending the game 11-9 for a Saluki win.

In game two of the Saturday double header Southern held Ohio to only three scored runs late, all being scored in the top of the ninth inning. 

Pier-Olivier Boucher started the scoring for the Salukis in the bottom of the first with a home run to center. Steve Loden and Jack Rigoni joined Boucher with home runs contributing to the Dawgs 11-3 win over Ohio.

Junior pitcher Easton Dermody went seven innings allowing no runs and only five hits in his third start of the season. 

Going into game three of the weekend, Ohio remained scoreless until the fifth inning and were only allowed four runs but the Salukis.

Pitching relief Matthew Steidl and Tanner Lewis did not allow any runs from Ohio in the eighth and ninth innings giving the Salukis the 7-4 win to end the weekend with a sweep over Ohio.

The Salukis will be back in action on March 7 when they travel to Edwardsville, IL to take on SIUE at 3 pm.

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

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