Following a heartbreaking loss to the Redhawks of Southeast Missouri State University, SIU Baseball traveled to Evansville, Indiana, on April 10-12. The Dawgs, looking to get back into the win column, took on the Purple Aces of the University of Evansville for a three-game weekend series. After two losses to start the series, the Salukis’ offense came around and took the third game with authority.

APRIL 10: UE 6, SIU 5

The Saluki offense wasted no time in getting on the board. A double, three singles, a fielder’s choice and a walk plated three first-inning runs for the Dawgs, giving their starter an early cushion. 

Reigning MVC Pitcher of the Week Andrew Evans took to the mound for the Salukis in Game 1 of the three-game slate. The menacing righty went to work quickly, sending the first three Purple Aces down in order.

Third baseman Jaden Flores and first baseman Cecil Lofton tallied singles in the second inning. With two outs in the frame, shortstop Tim Simay pushed across the fourth SIU run of the game with a single of his own. 

Evans ran into some trouble in the bottom of the third after surrendering a homerun to begin the inning and two more via RBI singles.

Evans exited the sixth inning after striking out his 14th batter of the game, a total that surpassed his career high of 11, set in his last outing.

After a couple of scoreless frames, the Salukis’ hopes of closing out the game and snagging a one-run win were halted by a game-tying RBI double. The Purple Aces knotted the game up at four runs apiece, and the Friday-night contest was headed to extra innings.

Centerfielder Jackson Dibble drew a walk, and pinch-hitter Kyle Mager got hit by a pitch, putting two runners on with only one out. Flores drew a walk, loading the bases. Lofton reached on an error for the third consecutive time in the game, plating the go-ahead run for the Salukis.

The Purple Aces loaded the bases on two hit-by-pitches and a walk. With two outs, the ball was grounded in play, but a crucial SIU error allowed the tying and game-winning runs to score, giving Evansville a first-game victory 6-5.

APRIL 11: UE 7, SIU 3

Pitcher Troy Shepard got the nod in Game 2 of the series for the Salukis. The lefty, who strung together two very strong starts coming into the contest, faced some early adversity. 

An RBI single and a two-run double put the Purple Aces in front 3-0 in the bottom of the second inning.

The Salukis gained a run back in the following inning with a Lofton RBI sacrifice fly.

The Dawgs continued to claw back in the fourth inning. Flores, second baseman Gabe Petrucelli, and left fielder Kaleb Hall loaded the bases with no outs. After two strikeouts, centerfielder Henry Kufa drew an RBI walk, plating the only run of the inning.

The Purple Aces extended their lead to 4-2 on a fifth-inning RBI single. 

Hall stepped up to the plate in the top of the sixth inning and mashed the first pitch he saw over the left field wall, taking that run right back.

The Purple Aces regained a two-run lead in the bottom of the sixth inning and tacked on two more in the seventh. The four-run lead was too much for the Salukis to overcome, and they dropped their fourth consecutive game.

APRIL 12: SIU 16, UE 3

Looking to shake off the last two games, the Salukis sent out pitcher Meade Johnson to face the Purple Aces. Johnson sent down the opposing offense easily in the first, but surrendered the first run of the game in the bottom of the second inning. 

Right fielder Kristian Sprawling got hit by a pitch to begin the bottom of the third for the Salukis. Catcher Mason Schwalbach singled, putting runners at the corners with no outs. Kufa and Simay laced back-to-back doubles, driving in three runs in the frame and taking a two-run lead. 

Pitcher Blake Kimball stepped in for Johnson in the third inning. The Purple Aces returned the favor with a pair of RBI walks, tying the game at three runs apiece.

Singles from Kufa and Simay kicked off the fifth inning for the Dawgs. Mager, who has produced runs at an elite rate recently, added two more to his total with a double into the left-center gap. Petrucelli got in on the action with an RBI single of his own. Sprawling delivered the big hit, sending a three-run homerun over the left field wall. Schwalbach capped off the seven-run inning with a homerun of his own two pitches later. 

Dibble drove in runs in the sixth and eighth innings, and the Salukis slugged themselves into a nine-run lead. 

Already with three hits in the game, Simay came up and drove in his third, fourth and fifth RBI with a three-run homer. After a Petrucelli sacrifice fly, SIU was up 13 runs on the Purple Aces. 

Pitcher Jackson Smith closed the game, and the Salukis reigned victorious in the last game of the series.

Eight of the nine Saluki starters notched at least one hit in Sunday’s contest.

With this series loss, the Salukis fall to 13-21 overall with a 4-5 record in MVC games. The Purple Aces improve to 13-20 overall and 6-3 in conference play. Coverage for The Salukis’ home game on April 14 against the Red Wolves of Arkansas State University can be found on the Daily Egyptian website.

Sports Reporter Noah Petschke can be reached at [email protected]

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