White Sweeps Maroon in Baseball's Fall World Series
10/08/2004 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
Oct. 8, 2004
By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The White team used four hits and a walk to score three runs in the first inning before posting a 6-3 win over the Maroon squad Thursday in the Southern Illinois University baseball team's annual Maroon and White Fall World Series at Abe Martin Field. The win completed a 2-0 sweep for the White squad in the best of three-game set.
With one out in the bottom of the first, P.J. Finigan singled, went to third on a double by Nathan Emrick and scored on a passed ball. An ensuing intentional walk to Dean Cademartori gave the White team runners at first and second, before back-to-back RBI-singles by Matt Brewer and Ryan Enata capped off the early 3-0 threat.
The Maroon squad answered with a pair of runs in the top of the second with the help of a three-base error.
Grant Gerrard led things off with a single and scored all the way from first when Ryan Welch's wild throw off a Tyler Lairson ground ball sailed into the right field corner. Lairson went to third on the play, and later scored on a Jeff Alexander ground out to second.
Ahead by one, the White team added another run in the third courtesy of a two-out Brewer triple and Enata RBI-single, before sealing the 6-3 win with a couple more runs in the fifth.
In the fifth, Finigan walked and stole second, and scored on a Cademartori double. After going to third on a wild pitch, Cademartori scored on a sacrifice fly by Brewer.
Welch picked up the win on the mound for the White. He threw four innings of two-hit baseball, where he gave up a pair of runs and struck out four batters.
Bryan Rueger took the loss for the Maroon after giving up six hits and four runs, including three earned. He also struck out two and walked one.
In game one of the series, which took place Wednesday, the White team had four straight hits in a late sixth-inning rally to cap a 3-2 win.
Down by one (2-1) after five, Finigan led off the sixth with a one-out single to center. Emrick followed with a hit-and-run single to move Finigan to third. Cademartori singled to right field and Finigan scored. Emrick was thrown out going to third on the play and Cademartori went to second. Shortly after that, Brewer singled up the middle to plate Cademartori and regain the lead for the White.
Offensively, Hunter Harrigan went a perfect 3-for-3 with a RBI to lead the Maroon squad.
Finigan struck out two batters to shut down the Maroon in the bottom of the sixth before picking up the win in relief. He allowed one run, walked one and gave up three hits in two innings.
Dylan Ward was touched for two earned runs and five hits in two innings before suffering the loss for the Maroon. He also registered one strikeout.
The SIU baseball team concludes its fall camp with a family day scrimmage/picnic on Saturday, Oct. 9 at 11 a.m.
