Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
Evansville
Baseball Beats Evansville 2-1 for Third Straight Win
04/19/2002 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
April 19, 2002
Carbondale, Ill. - Greg Andrews' sacrifice fly drove in the winning run and Southern Illinois University (20-14, 8-9 MVC) won a pitching duel against the University of Evansville (12-21, 3-10 MVC) by a 2-1 margin. The win is the third straight for the Salukis and snaps a seven-game losing streak to the Purple Aces dating back to 2000.
"I'm glad we won this game. Jake Alley pitched well enough to win and we played good enough defense. We were lucky to win, our offense effort was pathetic and we gave away too many at bats. I'm very disappointed with the way we hit even though we won the ball game," said Dan Callahan, Saluki head coach.
"Their pitcher (Andrew Arreola) gets credit for a good job, but we helped him out with some bad swings. Eric Haberer has done a good job most of the year for us in the closing role and today he did a good job picking up his second win today."
SIU took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Jeff Stanek's single drove in Luke Nelson, who reached on a two-base error by Evansville centerfielder Joey Vandever. Nelson was advanced to third on Cory Newman's sacrifice before scoring the first run of the game unearned.
The Salukis made it 2-0 when Ross Kowzan walked to lead off the fourth inning, advanced to third on a single by Justin Maurath and scored on Andrews' sacrifice fly to centerfield.
Evansville did threaten to tie the game late. The Purple Aces scored a run in the seventh inning to cut the lead to 2-1, but SIU's Alley forced a ground ball to end the inning with the tying run on base. In the eighth inning, with the tying run on second, Alley struck out Luke Miller to end the final Evansville threat.
Alley (5-2) struck out five, walked none and allowed seven hits and one run in eight innings to win the pitcher's duel. Haberer retired the side with three straight ground outs in the ninth inning to pick up his second save overall and first MVC save.
UE's Arreola (4-5) went the distance, striking out a career-high nine Salukis, walking three, giving up six hits and two runs, one earned.
Maurath (2-for-4, SB), Stanek (1-for-2, RBI), Kowzan (1-for-3, game-winning run) and Newman (1-for-3) led SIU at the plate. Newman extended his hitting streak to 21 games with a single in his last at bat in the seventh inning.
The Salukis will continue the series with a doubleheader on Saturday at 12 p.m. and a single game at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Abe Martin Field.
Southern Illinois University head basketball coach Bruce Weber and seniors Rolen Roberts, Marcus Belcher, Tyrese Buie and Jason Ward will throw out the first pitch for the Saluki baseball doubleheader against Evansville on Saturday at 12 p.m. at Abe Martin Field.
Prior to the game, brand new, commemorative Sweet Sixteen posters will be given out and the basketball team will be signing autographs from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
In addition, Saturday is T-Shirt Day and the first 200 fans to arrive will receive a ticket for a free Saluki baseball t-shirt that be picked up after the first game of the doubleheader.
710 Bookstore will also be selling Sweet Sixteen merchandise at the April 20 doubleheader.
