Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
Northern Iowa
Baseball Sweeps Northern Iowa, Takes 3-0 Series Lead
03/22/2003 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
March 22, 2003
Carbondale, Ill. - Newcomers Josh Markle and Nathan Emrick each had game-winning hits to lead Southern Illinois (12-8, 3-0) to a 5-4, 7-6 (10) doubleheader sweep of Northern Iowa (7-10, 0-3) earlier today at Abe Martin Field.
The pair of wins extended SIU's winning streak to four games, as the Salukis have suddenly gotten red-hot, winning six of their last seven games.
The twin bill was a flair for the dramatic to say the least, as SIU overcame a deficit of at least one run in both games. The Dawgs, who enter Sunday's game needing one win to complete a four-game sweep of the Panthers, have posted come-from-behind wins in all three games so far.
Although Markle and Emrick's clutch hits were huge, junior left fielder Nick Baughman came up gigantic.
In just his sixth start of the season, Baughman went 2-for-6 with a home run, two runs scored and four RBI. Baughman's homer, which marked the first of his career, pulled the Salukis to within a run in game two. Also, he had three RBI in game one, two of which came on a key grounder to second and a sacrifice fly to left which scored a go-ahead run.
After surrendering a 2-0 lead to UNI in the top of the first in game one, SIU answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second.
Markle drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a single by Nathan Boldt. A SAC-bunt by designated hitter Tyler Schooley pushed the runners to second and third, before Baughman's grounder scored Markle. With two out, Ross Kowzan doubled home Boldt to tie the game at 2-2.
Baughman delivered again in the bottom of the fourth, as his sacrifice fly drove in Markle who was on third after Boldt was hit by a pitch and Schooley laid down another successful SAC-bunt. Baughman's sacrifice gave the Dawgs a 3-2 lead.
UNI gave the game its second tie in the top of the fifth which saw Armando Lara double down the left field line to lead things off. With one away and Lara on third after a Brian Kobliska grounder to short, Saluki starter Jerel Deitering threw a wild pitch which enabled Lara to score easily.
Deadlocked at 3-3, Adam Boeve went yard for the third time in the series and second in the game, to give the Panthers a 4-3 lead in the top of the sixth.
However, it was Baughman again, who brought the game to its third tie in the bottom of the sixth. Markle hit a one-out single to set up the go-ahead run, which came on Baughman's base hit to center.
Baughman's hit proved to be the spark that ignited SIU's impressive game-winning rally in the bottom of the seventh.
Greg Andrews led off the attack with a single to left and advanced to second on a balk by Micah Christensen. Sal Frisella was intentionally walked and Toby Barnett reached on an infield single to load the bases. Markle then stepped in and ripped a single to left to score Andrews for the 5-4 game-winner.
Markle went 3-for-3 with three runs scored, a walk and a game-winning RBI to lead the Dawgs in game one. On the mound, Marshall Tucker moved to 2-0 after coming out of the bullpen to pitch 2.2 innings in which he allowed two hits, struck out one and gave up a run. Tucker relieved Deitering who threw a three-hitter through 4.1 innings. Deitering also struck out two and allowed three runs.
Christensen suffered the loss on the mound for the Panthers, falling to 0-2 on the year.
After trailing 3-1 heading into the bottom of the fourth during the nightcap, Baughman hit a leadoff homer to left as part of a four-run, four hit rally.
Reserve first baseman Carl Heuer followed Baughman's blast with a double and Kowzan hit a line drive single to right. Frisella then cranked his team-leading fourth home run to win back a 5-3 lead for the Salukis. Frisella's round-tripper also marked the 22nd of his career moving him to eighth on the school's all-time career home run list.
UNI, however, took a 6-5 lead in the top of the seventh which saw Nate Heath and Joe Burgett each single. On the ensuing play, Boeve drew a one-out walk to load the bases. A Tyson Hanish SAC-bunt drove in Heath and immediately following that, Markle dropped Finigan's throw to first on a routine grounder to short which should have ended the inning. Instead, Burgett scored on the miscue and Boeve later scored on a hit by Lara.
In what appeared as if the Panthers would hang on for the win, the Salukis rallied once again in the bottom of the seventh to give the game, yet another tie.
Frisella doubled and stretched out a Barnett single to knot the score at 6-6, as the game would go extra innings.
Both teams failed to push a run across in the next two and a half innings, before the Dawgs came up to bat in the bottom of the 10th. Baughman started things off by reaching on a fielder's choice and went to second on a Kowzan walk.
With two out, Emrick roped a single to left and Baughman scored to give SIU a thrilling 7-6 win.
Eric Haberer (1-1) posted SIU's second win of the day by a relief pitcher. Haberer threw a one-hitter with two strikeouts in 3.1 innings.
Spencer Black (1-1) took the fall on the mound for UNI after giving up one hit and one run in 2.0 innings. Black was replaced with Christensen who faced just one batter (Emrick) in the 10th.
Frisella went 3-for-5 with a home run, a double, two runs scored and two RBI to pace the Dawgs in the nightcap. Kowzan and Emrick also had two hits each.
SIU will conclude its series with UNI tomorrow in a single game at 1 p.m.
