While an unfavorable forecast moved the third game of Southern Illinois baseball’s weekend series at Dallas Baptist up a day, the weather conditions Saturday affected the outcome of the regularly-scheduled second game.

The Patriots (23-10, 4-0 Missouri Valley Conference) scored five runs in the second inning of a 7-4 victory. Four of those runs came with two outs on back-to-back home runs by freshman center fielder Jameson Hannah and junior right fielder David Martinelli. Both round-trippers cleared the left field fence, riding a stiff breeze blowing out in that direction.

The Salukis (20-15-1, 1-4 MVC) answered in the third with a three-run rally started by junior shortstop Will Farmer’s second home run of the year, a solo blast to left.

Advertisement

Junior center fielder Dyllin Mucha’s RBI groundout in the sixth cut the Dallas Baptist lead to 5-4, but that was as close as SIU would get.

Hannah added a two-run double in the eighth to pad the Patriot lead.

Junior righty Darick Hall (5-2, 2.82 earned run average) earned the win for the Patriots, allowing four runs on seven hits in seven innings with five strikeouts and four walks.

Saluki junior starter Chad Whitmer (3-2, 2.25 ERA) pitched 5 and 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run, but took the loss after giving up five runs on nine hits with five punchouts and one walk.

Senior lefty Sean Stutzman picked up his second save of the year, lowering his ERA to 5.18.

Farmer led all batters with three hits. Hannah’s five RBIs were a game-high.

SIU sophomore Michael Baird (5-2, 2.05 ERA) and DBU freshman Jordan Martinson (2-0, 2.14 ERA) will face off in the second game of the double header.

Advertisement*

Thomas Donley can be reached at [email protected] or at 618-536-3307.