After finishing the series sweep of SEMO on Tuesday, April 22, Saluki baseball returned to Carbondale for a pivotal three game weekend series with the Illinois State Redbirds, both trying to hold on to the chance for second place in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Dawgs took two of the three games, winning the series.
Alec Nigut took the ball in the series opener on Friday, April 25 but the Redbirds got to him quickly. The Saluki’s ace was pulled after only recording four outs while being on the hook for six Illinois State runs. Cole Koonce took the loss with three runs in 1 2/3 innings of work and Dylan Petrey had the best outing of any of the Saluki pitchers with only one run on his resume in 4 1/3 innings.
Advertisement
Cecil Lofton feasted at the plate in game one, finishing the night 3-4 with two home runs and a double, driving in seven runs in the process. Jordan Bach knocked in another two with a homer in the fourth, but it wasn’t enough as the Dawgs dropped game one 11-9.
Game two saw Meade Johnson start on the hill for the Dawgs on Saturday, April 26, retiring all three batters he faced before leaving with an injury. Jackson Payne took the ball next, tossing 4 2/3 innings of four run ball. Koonce, Tanner Gerdes, Matt Irvine and Blaine Harpenau rounded out the day with only Koonce giving up a single run.
Matt Schark led the bats with five runs driven in on two home runs. John Lemm and Bach also chipped in two RBI each in the 14-5 win.
Advertisement*
Tyler Timmerman was on the bump for the rubber match on Sunday, April 27. He got 10 outs for the Salukis while surrendering four runs before handing the game over to the bullpen, which shined with the series on the line. Al Holguin went 3 2/3 hitless innings with four strikeouts, only facing one over the minimum. Sam Frizzi picked up the last two innings, earning his third win of the season.
Schark homered again in the series finale and Bach notched his fifth RBI of the weekend, but it was Tate Lewis who earned the player of the game honors for the Dawgs. The junior came into the game as a pinch hitter in the seventh and went 2-2 with an RBI single and an RBI double in the eighth that brought in the winning run in the 5-4 Saluki victory.
With the series win over the Redbirds, the Dawgs now sit at 30-13 overall and 12-6 against Missouri Valley opponents with only nine more games to go before the conference tournament. SIU is currently tied with Murray State for second place in the Valley, who they will play on the road next weekend at Murray.
Sports Reporter Nick Pfannkuche can be reached at [email protected]. To stay up to date on all your southern Illinois news, be sure to follow The Daily Egyptian on Facebook and X @dailyegyptian.
Advertisement
