Southern Illinois University
Wichita St.
Baseball Loses Opener 10-6 To Wichita State
05/17/2002 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
May 17, 2002
Wichita, Kans. - Southern Illinois University's Sal Frisella and Toby Barnett combined to hit three home runs against Wichita State University, the top pitching staff in the Missouri Valley Conference and third-best staff in the nation (2.99 era), but it wasn't enough to beat the Shockers (41-12, 22-7 MVC). The Salukis (30-21, 15-14 MVC) fell 10-6 at Eck Stadium in the series opener on Friday.
Trailing 2-0 after one inning, the Salukis tied the score with two runs in the top of the second inning. P.J. Finigan reached on an error, Sal Frisella walked and Greg Andrews doubled to rightfield to drive in both runners and tied the game briefly.
Wichita State responded with three runs in the bottom of the second inning to retake the lead 5-2. The Shockers added two more runs in the third inning and one in the sixth for an 8-2 lead, all eight runs came against SIU starter Luke Nelson.
SIU added a single run in the seventh inning on Frisella's first home run against Shocker starter John Tetuan to make it 8-3, but the Shockers added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh inning for a 10-3 lead.
The Salukis battled back late in the game. WSU brought in reliever Tommy Hottovy in the eighth inning and Justin Maurath doubled. Two batters later Toby Barnett hit a two-run homer, his eighth of the year, to cut the lead to 10-5. Frisella hit another solo shot in the ninth inning, his career and team-high tenth, to cut the lead to 10-6, but the Salukis didn't score again and lost the by the 10-6 margin.
WSU's Tetuan (9-0) struck out three, walked two, allowed three hits, three runs, one earned run and two walks to stay undefeated.
SIU's Nelson (6-4) suffered the loss after allowing eight runs, 11 hits and three walks with one strike out in six innings.
Frisella (2-for-3, 2 home runs, 2 RBI, 3 runs), Andrews (2-for-4, 2 RBI) and Barnett (1-for-4, 2 RBI, run) led the Salukis.
Southern Illinois will continue the series with a doubleheader on Saturday at 2 p.m. and a single game at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Eck Stadium in Wichita, Kans.
