Baseball Upsets No. 8 Notre Dame, 8-4

Saturday, March 20

Carbondale, Ill.

2:00 P.M.

Southern Illinois University

3-12

Notre Dame

12-2

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
#8 Notre Dame	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	0	1	4	9	0
Southern Illinois	0	0	0	4	0	2	0	2	X	8	10	1

03/20/2004 | 12:00:00 | Baseball

Box Score

March 20, 2004

Box Score

By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. - There aren't too many times where you see the same two players hit back-to-back home runs in two straight games, but Greg Andrews and Erik Alvarez have done it. Andrews and Alvarez combined for three home runs to lift Southern Illinois (3-12) to a stunning 8-4 win over No. 8 Notre Dame (12-2) earlier today at Abe Martin Field.

The win marked SIU's third straight and first over a ranked opponent in two years. Ironically, the Salukis' last win over a Top-25 foe also came against ND in 2002, where both teams squared off at the Ron Maestri Classic.

Rain pushed the start time up a half hour, but once the tarp was pulled and the sun peeked through the clouds, both teams went head-to-head in what turned out to be a great ball game.

SIU and ND's second meeting of the season began similar to their first, which took place on Mar. 6 in San Antonio, Texas. Both teams started the same pitchers on the mound and the Salukis held at least a five-run lead after six innings. Only this time, the outcome would be different, as SIU gave everything it had to put ND away.

All-American right-hander Chris Niesel, who gave up six hits and five runs in three innings in his last outing against SIU, didn't have that kind of start today.

Niesel opened the game by striking out two of SIU's first three batters and retired nine straight over the course of three consecutive scoreless, no-hit innings.

After ND's offense gave him a 1-0 lead to work with in the top of the fourth, it was then in the bottom half of the inning, where Niesel self-destructed.

P.J. Finigan wrecked Niesel's no-hit bid with a one-out double to right center. Nathan Emrick followed Finigan's gapper with a single to right, and Andrews walked shortly after that to load the bases.

Alvarez then singled home Finigan and Andrews, while designated hitter Nick Baughman hit safely to score Andrews. One more hit by Nathan Boldt plated Alvarez, and just like that, the Salukis pulled ahead of the Irish, 4-1.

Moments after the four-run, five-hit ambush, Niesel regrouped to sit down the Dawgs in order in the fifth, but was touched for another two runs in the bottom of the sixth when Andrews singled and Alvarez homered to extend SIU's lead to 6-1.

Shortly after Alvarez's bomb sailed over the center field wall, that was it for Niesel.

While SIU's offense was rolling, so was Saluki southpaw Eric Haberer. A native of Bloomington, Ill., Haberer limited the Irish to one run and three hits in his first six innings.

Haberer, however, started showing signs of fatigue in the seventh, where he found himself in trouble for the first time on the day.

With one out, Matt Macri and Matt Bransfield hit back-to-back home runs and Chris Fournier followed with a single to left. After Fournier's hit Haberer pegged Greg Lopez and Danny Dressman advanced both runners on a sacrifice. Josh Joiner was then motioned to relieve Haberer, who sprinted off the field to a loud ovation by the Saluki faithful. Joiner calmly ended the threat by getting lead off man Steve Sollmann to fly out to left.

After ND's scare in the seventh, you couldn't help but wonder if the mighty Irish offense would do the same as it did to SIU in San Antonio, where it registered seven runs on 10 hits in the last three innings of the game. The late-game surge overcame a six-run deficit, as ND went on to win by one in extra innings. Not to mention, Haberer's solid five-inning performance ended in a no-decision after the Saluki bullpen couldn't finish the job.

Knowing all that, the last two innings couldn't have been better for the Dawgs.

Clinging to a three-run advantage (6-3), Andrews and Alvarez led off the bottom of the eighth with back-to-back home runs. The duo, who also hit back-to-back home runs just two days ago at Murray State, ended all signs of d?j? vu with their huge blasts.

Although Lopez's homer was one of three hits for ND in the ninth, that was all the Irish could come up with, as they stranded five runners in the final three innings before taking the 8-4 loss.

Haberer (1-0) picked up his sixth career win on the mound after going 6.2 innings in which he allowed six hits and three runs. He also struck out one batter and issued one walk. Joiner and Andrew Weber helped preserve the win. Weber recorded the final out of the game with ND pinch-hitter Steve Andres at the plate.

Niesel (3-1) suffered his first loss of the season after allowing seven hits and six runs in five innings. In addition, he fanned three and walked two.

Offensively for SIU, Alvarez had the best game of his career to date. He went 3-for-4 with two home runs, three runs scored and five RBI. Alvarez, who ranks second with four home runs this season, has homered in two straight games.

Andrews and Boldt also had multiple-hit days. Andrews went 2-for-2 with three runs scored, a homer and one RBI, while Boldt finished at 2-for-3 with one RBI. Andrews leads the Salukis with five home runs on the year and has homered in his last three outings.

SIU out-hit ND, 10-9, and has registered double-digit hits in six of its last seven games. On the year, the Salukis have collected 10 or more hits on six occasions.

The Salukis and Fighting Irish conclude their two-game series tomorrow at noon. Right-hander Marshall Tucker and left-hander Tom Thornton will start on the hill. Thornton was named the BIG EAST's Pitcher of the Week this past week.