Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
Northern Iowa
Baseball Completes Four-Game Sweep of Northern Iowa
03/23/2003 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
March 23, 2003
Carbondale, Ill. - Junior Nick Baughman delivered a two-out, go-ahead double in the bottom of the seventh to give Southern Illinois (13-8, 4-0) a 5-4 win over Northern Iowa (7-11, 0-4) earlier today at Abe Martin Field. SIU swept the Panthers, 4-0 in both teams' Missouri Valley Conference debut.
The four-game sweep was grand in many ways for SIU. Not only did today's win extend SIU's winning streak to five games, but it marked the Dawgs' seventh victory in their last eight outings. The four-game MVC blanking was also SIU's fifth in Dan Callahan's nine years as head coach and first since 2000.
Additionally, the sweep set up a first-place showdown between SIU and Indiana State that will take place next week in Terre Haute. The Sycamores, along with Southwest Missouri State, also registered four-game sweeps this weekend.
It's hard to beat a team three times, let alone four, but SIU did that today, as the Salukis once again came ready to play.
SIU jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first which saw Ross Kowzan reach on a leadoff bunt single. An error by UNI starting pitcher Hans Frey put P.J. Finigan aboard, before Sal Frisella and Toby Barnett each flied out. An error by shortstop Pat Moran kept the inning alive and Nathan Boldt doubled to right center to score both Kowzan and Finigan.
UNI answered the Salukis' threat in the top of the second, where it quickly loaded the bases on a leadoff walk by Tyson Hanish, and back-to-back singles by Sean LaCoste and Armando Lara.
With no outs and the bases juiced, SIU starter Andrew Weber struck out Brian Kobliska and got Kyohei Miyazaki to fly out to right. Moran then hit a routine grounder to third, but Boldt bobbled the ball, enabling Hanish to score on the error. Nate Heath followed the miscue with a two-RBI single to left, which gave the Panthers a 3-2 edge.
SIU took advantage of another UNI error in the bottom of the third. With one out, Frisella was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a balk by Frey. Barnett flied out in foul territory and Greg Andrews singled on the next play. Frisella was waved home on Andrews' hit, and scored when catcher Miyazaki dropped a perfect throw from centerfielder Joe Burgett. It appeared as if Frisella would have been out for sure, but the ball came out of Miyazaki's glove when he applied the tag at the plate.
Tied 3-3, Carl Heuer doubled and scored on a Brendan Lutz single to regain a 4-3 lead for the Salukis in the bottom of the fourth.
SIU's one-run advantage would stand until the top of the sixth where Weber hit Kobliska and Miyazaki, consecutively, to give the Panthers baserunners with one out. Weber then followed with a wild pitch which scored Kobliska, as UNI knotted the game at 4-4.
Josh Joiner relieved Weber in the top of the seventh and immediately found himself in trouble after giving up a pair of singles to Burgett and Adam Boeve. With two on and no one out, Hanish hit into a double play. Joiner then walked LaCoste, but got Lara to fly out to get out of the jam.
The Salukis shook off the Panther threat and started the bottom of the seventh with a lead off single by Barnett. Andrews laid down a SAC-bunt to push Barnett to second. Boldt was hit by a pitch on the next play, and shortly after that, Baughman ripped a double to drive in what turned out to be the winning run.
Baughman's hit was preserved by left-hander Eric Haberer who pitched the final two innings en route to his first save of the season. Haberer retired the Panthers' last six batters in order, while striking out two. Joiner (3-2) won the decision on the mound after pitching the seventh inning. Prior to the seventh, Weber pitched six innings in which he gave up five hits, while striking out two.
Offensively, Boldt went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and two RBI to lead the Salukis. Lutz followed with a 2-for-3, one-RBI showing. Kowzan, Frisella, Barnett, Andrews, Baughman and Heuer also had one hit apiece.
UNI was led by Hanish who finished 2-for-3 with a run scored. On the mound, Bill Zenk suffered the loss, falling to 1-1 on the year. Zenk pitched 4.2 innings which saw him scatter five hits and register four strikeouts.
SIU will close out its nine-game homestand with a non-league contest against Tennessee-Martin on Tuesday, March 25. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
SIU vs. UNI Series Notes:
The Salukis overcame deficits of at least one run to post wins in three of their first four games against the Panthers...SIU registered between 10 to 13 hits in three of this weekend's four games...SIU posted one-run wins (5-4, 7-6, 5-4) in three of four games...all four of SIU's wins on the mound came out of the bullpen - relief pitchers Eric Haberer, Bryan Rueger, Josh Joiner and Marshall Tucker accounted for the wins...Nick Baughman hit .364 with a double, a home run, seven RBI and two runs scored...Baughman drove in a go-ahead run in game two of the series, scored a game-winning run in game three and delivered what proved to be a game-winning RBI-double in game four...Josh Markle (Game Two) and Nathan Emrick (Game Three) each posted game-winning hits...SIU hit .341 in the series, and as a result, boosted its season batting average to .288...SIU registered 13 extra-base hits, including eight doubles and five home runs...Nathan Boldt had three doubles alone...the Dawgs turned nine double plays...SIU had 10 batters hit by pitches, including Boldt who was beamed four times...SIU pitchers combined for a total of 19 strikeouts, nine of which came from relief hurlers...UNI right fielder Adam Boeve hit three home runs in the series.
