SIU baseball holds UT Martin to two hits

By Aaron Graff

cody dailyThe Salukis battled the University of Tennessee-Martin in a game that featured nine total pitchers and 17 walks combined.

SIU beat the Skyhawks 6-2 to extend their winning streak to four games.

SIU took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning off two doubles from junior Parker Osborne and senior Ryan Casillas, then a walk from senior Matt Jones.

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The double was Casillas’ only hit in the game, but it was good enough to extend his hitting streak; he has recorded at least one hit in all seven games this season.

Sophomore Connor McFadden had his second start for the Salukis, and did not allow a hit in 3.1 innings. He struck out three batters, walked six and hit one before being taken out, with two runners on, for freshman Austin McPheron.

McFadden leads the team in walks and is tied for the lead with seven strikeouts with senior Todd Eaton.

“Connor has great stuff,” Coach Ken Henderson said in a Saluki Athletics press release. “He didn’t give up any hits. If he can figure out a way to pound the zone, he’s going to be awfully special for us. He found a way to get out of the first inning and get us going a little bit.”

McPheron gave up singles to the first two batters he faced, which allowed two runs to score and tie the game.

Those were the only two hits SIU gave up in the game. McPheron pitched 1.2 innings, walked one and earned his first collegiate win. The rest of the bullpen walked two more batters and struck out one.

In the sixth inning, senior Jake Welch was able to bunt for a base hit and steal second. Senior Matt Jones drove him in with a single to give the Salukis the lead again. Jones finished the day two for four with one RBI and a double.

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“I thought that was probably the biggest part of the game,” Henderson said. “It was a 2-2 game, and momentum had gone their way. Then we got the lead back and got on a roll from there, Jake found a way to manufacture some things and get us going.”

Jones has seven hits during his three-game hitting streak heading into the home opener.

In the seventh inning, SIU added three more to their lead, starting with a solo home run by senior Donny Duschinsky. Freshman J.C. DeMuri had a pinch-hit single and reached third off of a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly. Welch stole his second base of the day after getting hit by a pitch. Osborne drove both runs in with a single.

Duschinsky leads the team with nine RBI’s.

Senior Cody Daily had hits in all of the six games before Tuesday, and he led the team in batting average this season before the game, but he went zero for four with an RBI and a walk to end his hit streak. He leads the team with a .375 batting average.

SIU stranded 13 runners, including eight in scoring position.

The Salukis are scheduled to play Northern Illinois University Friday at the new Itchy Jones Stadium for the start of a three-game series.

Aaron Graff can be contacted at [email protected], on Twitter @Aarongraff_DE or 536-3311 ext. 269

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