Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
Indiana St.
Baseball Ends Indiana State's 13-Game Winning Streak
03/28/2003 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
March 28, 2003
Terre Haute, Ind. - Southern Illinois (14-8, 5-0) hit four home runs, including back-to-back blasts in the bottom of the first inning en route to a 8-1 win over Indiana State (15-4, 4-1) earlier today at Sycamore Field. The Salukis snapped the Sycamores' 13-game winning streak.
SIU pounded out 11 hits in the contest marking the fourth time in five games the Salukis have posted double-digits in the hit column. The win was SIU's sixth straight and eighth in its last nine outings.
The rapid winds may have helped a little, but for the most part, SIU's barrage of home runs were sheer power to say the least.
SIU jumped all over the Sycamores in the top of the first scoring three runs in a two-out rally which began with a Sal Frisella walk. Toby Barnett dug in and smashed a two-run homer over the wall in center, and on the ensuing play, Greg Andrews went yard over the right field fence to give the Dawgs a 3-0 lead.
Senior right-hander Jake Alley, in his sixth start of the season, struck out the side in the ISU first and retired six straight Sycamores before giving up a walk to Jereme Hatler to end the stretch.
While Alley was cruising on the mound, the Saluki offense kept giving the native of Anna, Ill., plenty of run support.
In the top of the third, SIU extended its lead to 5-0 on a two-run homer by P.J. Finigan. Finigan, who had gone 2-for-14 in his previous four games, watched his second round-tripper of the season sail over the wall in right.
The Salukis added another run in the fourth when Nathan Boldt, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame, later scored on a fielder's choice by Ross Kowzan. Boldt has now been beamed six times in SIU's last five games.
Up 6-0, ISU averted the shutout in the bottom of the fourth. Chris Hall hit a leadoff double to right center and scored shortly after on a one-out double by Ben Vannatter.
Despite the suttle threat, SIU scored two more runs, one each in the sixth and seventh to polish off the impressive 8-1 win. Kowzan scored on a fielder's choice RBI by Barnett in the sixth and Josh Markle belted a solo home run in the seventh.
Kowzan, who reached base in all five of his at-bats, went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a RBI to lead the Salukis at the plate. Markle followed going 2-for-3 with a double, a home run, one RBI and a run scored.
Alley moved to 2-1 on the year following his superb pitching performance. Pitching the distance, Alley tied a season-high six strikeouts, while giving up one run and four hits. Additionally, he picked up his first MVC win since beating Wichita State (5/18/02), and moved into a tie for fifth on SIU's all-time career strikeout list. Alley now shares the spot with Skip Pitlock (1967-69) as each have registered 234 career Ks.
Brian Woods (2-1) suffered the loss for ISU. Woods was touched for nine hits and seven runs in 5.1 innings. Vannatter had two hits to lead the Trees, offensively.
Game two was suspended due to rain. There was a 35-minute delay before the game was officially called. Play will resume in the bottom of the first with ISU up to bat. The game will be part of a doubleheader that will begin at 1 p.m., CST, Saturday.
