Baseball Stuns No. 11 Wichita State, 6-5

Sunday, April 18

Wichita, Kan.

1:00 P.M.

Southern Illinois University

11-22-1, 6-9-1

Wichita St.

23-7, 15-1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Southern Illinois	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	3	0	6	12	0
#11 Wichita State	1	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	2	5	13	1

04/18/2004 | 12:00:00 | Baseball

Box Score

April 18, 2004

Box Score

By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com

WICHITA, Kan. - Eight-hole hitter Cory Newman hit a go-ahead three-run home run in the top of the eighth inning to lift Southern Illinois (11-22-1, 6-9-1) to a 6-5 come-from-behind win over No. 11 Wichita State (23-7, 15-1) earlier today at Eck Stadium.

Although it lost the four-game series, 3-1, SIU handed WSU its first conference loss this season.

Newman's homer, which marked his second round-tripper of the season after hitting an inside-the-park home run at SMS (4/4), came with two out in the inning. Nathan Boldt was hit by a pitch and Nick Baughman singled prior to his smash, which cleared the 390-feet mark in center.

SIU starting right-hander Jason Chavez issued five walks, threw two wild pitches and hit one batter through his first five innings, as WSU took an early 3-0 lead. Nick Blasi and Logan Sorensen each drew walks in the top of the first, before a two-out single by Brandon Green scored Blasi.

Mark Johnson reached on an infield single to lead off the second and advanced to second when Nick McCoola grounded out to third. Johnson would then go to third on a wild pitch and touch home on a passed ball by Brendan Lutz. Lutz's passed ball marked his 10th of the season.

The Shockers struck again in the fourth, where a Joe Muich single started a streak of three consecutive two-out hits. Shawn Smarsh followed with a hit to left, before a Blasi single knocked in Muich.

SIU pulled to within one in the top of the sixth thanks to a one-out single by Nathan Emrick and an ensuing home run by Greg Andrews. Andrews' homer, which marked his team-leading eighth of the season, put him in a tie for eighth with Gerry Pitchford (1985-86) on the school's all-time career home run list. Andrews has hit 23 home runs in his career.

The Dawgs continued to get to WSU freshman left-hander Kris Johnson in the seventh. Matt Brewer and Cory Newman hit back-to-back singles to start the inning, and that was it for Johnson.

Shortly after left-hander Tommy Hottovy replaced Johnson on the hill, he immediately gave up a single to Lutz which loaded the bases with no outs. Hottovy would escape the jam by getting Kevin Koski and P.J. Finigan to fly out to center, while forcing Emrick to hit into a fielder's choice. Finigan's fly ball to center, however, was deep enough to score Brewer and tie the game at 3-3.

Once Newman's bomb put SIU ahead at 6-3 in the eighth, the Shockers would not go down quietly in the ninth.

Sorensen hit a one-out single to left and Drew Moffitt quickly brought the Shockers to within one (6-5) with a home run to left center. A Green double to left put the tying run at second before Johnson popped out to second. McCoola was then intentionally walked and the Shockers had runners at first and second with two away.

Andrew Weber, who relieved Chavez in the eighth, then struck out pinch-hitter Derek Schermerhorn to end the game.

Chavez evened his record to 2-2 on the season after allowing nine hits and three runs in seven innings of work. He also posted five strikeouts and issued six walks. Weber picked up his team-leading third save.

Hottovy (3-2) suffered the loss for WSU. He gave up three hits and three runs, while striking out three batters in three innings.

Offensively, WSU out-hit SIU, 13-12. The Salukis were led by Emrick and Newman who each had two hits. Green went 3-for-4 with a double and one RBI to pace the Shockers.

SIU returns to action Wednesday, April 21 when it plays at Southeast Missouri State. First pitch is at 3 p.m.