Baseball Beats SMS, 3-2

Friday, April 2

Springfield, Mo.

7:00 P.M.

Southern Illinois University

7-14-1, 3-1-1

Missouri St.

9-13, 1-3

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Southern Illinois	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	3	7	3
Missouri State	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	7	2

04/02/2004 | 12:00:00 | Baseball

Box Score

April 2, 2004

Box Score

By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Nick Baughman hit a game-winning single in the top of the 10th inning to lead Southern Illinois (7-14-1, 3-1-1) to a 3-2 win over Southwest Missouri State (9-13, 1-3) earlier tonight in front of a crowd of 9,017 at Hammons Field.

SIU, who has now won seven of its last nine games, spoiled SMS' opening night in its new state-of-the-art, 30-million dollar facility.

The Salukis led by one run (2-1) until the bottom of the ninth, where Tim Rafferty hit a two-out single off closer Andrew Weber to knot the game at 2-2. Rafferty's hit capped off a stretch of three consecutive hits for the Bears.

Shortly after Rafferty sent the game into extra innings, relief pitcher Jeff Gray entered the game for SMS. Prior to Gray's appearance, starter Derek Drage had struck out a career-high 10 batters in a solid nine-inning performance.

Once Gray took the mound, the top half of SIU's lineup immediately went to work in the top of the 10th.

P.J. Finigan drew a lead off walk and advanced to second on a single by Nathan Emrick. After an ensuing Greg Andrews walk loaded the bases, Erik Alvarez hit into a fielder's choice and Finigan was out at home on the force. Baughman then stepped in and ripped a single to center to regain a 3-2 lead for the Dawgs.

The Bears wouldn't go down easy in the bottom of the 10th, where they had runners on first and second with one out. Weber, however, silenced the threat with back-to-back strikeouts.

Weber, who struck out three batters in two innings, moved to 2-1 on the year.

Meanwhile, Gray fell to 2-3 after giving up two hits and a run in just one inning.

Like Drage, SIU starter Eric Haberer also posted a career-high in strikeouts. Haberer fanned six batters in the first seven innings of the game before being relieved by Josh Joiner in the eighth.

Emrick, who had the first-ever hit at Hammons Field, went 3-for-5 with two runs scored to lead the Salukis at the plate. Matt Brewer, who scored the first-ever run at the Bears' new park, followed by going 2-for-4 with a double.

Jake Manning went 2-for-3 with a RBI to lead the Bears.

SIU and SMS resume their series with a doubleheader tomorrow at 2 p.m.