Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
Central Michigan
Baseball Loses to Central Michigan, Wins Series, 2-1
03/16/2003 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
March 16, 2003
Carbondale, Ill. - Central Michigan (3-7) used a five-run, five-hit third inning to post a 9-2 win over Southern Illinois (8-8) earlier today at Abe Martin Field. CMU, who held a two-run advantage early on, never surrendered its lead.
Despite the loss, SIU won the three-game series, 2-1, and as a result, registered its third series win of the season.
After tallying 30 hits in Saturday's doubleheader against the Chippewas, SIU mustered just eight pokes in the game, and no more than one in eight innings. The eight-hit performance added to a 2-7 mark this season in games with less than 10 hits.
CMU took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first when Mike Gates hit a sacrifice fly to score Ryan Krueger from third. Tommy Grubb, who also tagged on the play, went to third on the play and stole home shortly after.
SIU answered with one run in the bottom of the first which began with a Ross Kowzan triple to right. A P.J. Finigan grounder to second enabled Kowzan to score easily, making it 2-1, in favor of CMU.
Sophomore right-hander Ryan Welch, who gave up six hits and seven runs in 2.1 innings, fell victim to a vicious CMU attack in the third. With one away, Welch was touched for consecutive singles by Dave Latour and Grubb. A walk issued to Gates followed, and just like that, CMU had the bases loaded.
Another set of back-to-back singles, this time by Jeff LaFavors and Jim Geldhof, kept the long rally going which finally ended on a two-RBI pinch-hit single by Dan Griesbaum.
Ahead by six (7-1), a RBI-single by Grubb in the fourth and a fielder's choice RBI by Griesbaum in the fifth boosted the Chippewas' lead to 9-1.
SIU would score one more run in the bottom of the eighth which saw Kowzan double to left center and trot home on a balk by CMU relief pitcher T.J. Johnson.
Starting right-hander Ty Dunham evened his record to 1-1 on the season throwing seven innings with five strikeouts. Offensively, Grubb led all Chippewas going 3-for-4 with two runs scored, a stolen base and a RBI.
Welch fell to 0-2 on the year for the Salukis. He was relieved by Bryan Rueger in the third who struck out two batters in the next 3.2 innings, before Eric Haberer pitched the final three frames. Haberer allowed two hits, a walk and struck out one during that span.
Kowzan and Sal Frisella each had two hits to lead the Dawgs at the plate. Kowzan went 2-for-3 with a triple, while Frisella ended the day at 2-for-4.
SIU will continue its nine-game homestand Wednesday, March 19 when it hosts Murray State. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m., CST at Abe Martin Field.
