Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
Louisiana Monroe
Salukis Drop Series Finale To Louisiana-Monroe 7-6
02/17/2002 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
Feb. 17, 2002
Monroe, La. - Southern Illinois University (2-1) lost the series finale 7-6 to Louisiana-Monroe (2-2) in the bottom of the ninth inning on Sunday at Indian Field. SIU freshman Andrew Weber hit ULM's Andy Chance with the bases loaded and the game tied 6-6, scoring the winning run for the Indians.
"If I knew we were going to win two of three before the trip I would normally take it and be happy, but it's tough to be up 6-1 in the finale and not close it out. I thought we had the game won and we couldn't finish it," Dan Callahan, Saluki head coach said.
"Overall I thought we pitched well, hit well and played good defense to open the season."
SIU led 6-1 entering the bottom of the eighth inning when the Indians scored five runs off Saluki starter Luke Nelson. 11 Indians batted in the frame which included six singles and the first two SIU errors of the year. Weber came on with the bases loaded in the eighth to get the final out. In the ninth a walk, a sacrifice, an intentional walk and the hit batsmen led to the winning run for ULM.
SIU jumped out to another early lead when Jeff Stanek hit his first home run of the season in the top of the first inning. ULM tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the first inning and the game remained tied until the top of the seventh.
In the top of the seventh SIU scored a run on singles by P.J. Finigan and Ross Kowzan followed by an error on John Clem's groundout, which allowed Finigan to score for a 2-1 lead.
In the top of the eighth the Salukis scored four runs on three singles, a double, an intentional walk and an error. Stanek and Toby Barnett singled to lead off the inning and after Sal Frisella was intentionally walked, P.J. Finigan doubled in Stanek and Barnett for a 4-1 lead. Ross Kowzan singled to score Frisella and Finigan to give SIU its 6-1 lead entering the bottom of the eighth.
Stanek (3-for-4, 2 runs, RBI), Finigan (3-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 runs) and Kowzan (2-for-3, 2 RBI) led the nine hit Saluki attack.
Indian reliever Bobby Carro (1-0) picked up the win with two innings of relief. SIU's Weber (0-1) suffered the loss in his first college appearance.
The Salukis will play in the University of New Orleans Tournament next weekend on February 22-24.
