Baseball Beats Illinois State, 1-0

Sunday, May 2

Normal, Ill.

12:00 PM

Southern Illinois University

17-24-1, 11-11-1

Illinois State

15-25, 6-13

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

05/02/2004 | 12:00:00 | Baseball

Box Score

May 2, 2004

Box Score

By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com

NORMAL, Ill. - Greg Andrews had the only hit and scored the only run to give Southern Illinois (17-24-1, 11-11-1) a 1-0 win over Illinois State (15-25, 6-13) in a game that featured an outstanding pitching duel between SIU right-hander Jason Chavez and ISU southpaw Todd Stein.

Stein no-hit SIU in the first six innings of the game, but ISU's defense had three errors which buried the 'Birds.

A native of St. Louis, Mo., Stein (4-4) issued two walks and struck out six batters in his impressive seven innings of work.

Meanwhile, Chavez (3-3), who hails from Cape Girardeau, Mo., had similar numbers, as he allowed just two hits, gave up four walks and fanned six batters en route to his first career complete game shutout, and first of any Saluki pitcher this season.

The only time where one of the two pitchers really got into trouble was in the bottom of the fourth. Chavez walked three batters and ISU loaded the bases. With two outs and the bases juiced, Chavez, however, forced Greg Blaesing to ground out to third and end what could have been a big inning for the Redbirds.

SIU managed to get some baserunners early in the game, but the Salukis stranded one in each of the second, third, fourth and fifth innings. Of those four runners, only two moved into scoring position.

Andrews then wrecked Stein's no-hit bid with a lead off single in the top of the seventh and advanced to second on a huge error by center fielder Nate Whitney. The ball landed safely in front of Whitney, but he mis-played the hop, and as a result, the ball rolled underneath his glove.

Matt Brewer followed with a SAC-bunt to get Andrews to third, before Cory Newman drove in Andrews on a sacrifice fly to center. Had Whitney's error not occurred, Andrews would have been stranded, as Brendan Lutz flied out immediately after Newman's sacrifice.

Whitney and Chris Shepherd each went 1-for-2 for ISU's quiet two hits.

Although both team's offenses were silenced thanks to Stein and Chavez's solid efforts on the mound, things would get rowdy at home plate late in the game, where both head coaches and Redbird pinch-hitter Joe Burke were ejected. SIU skipper Dan Callahan was tossed for arguing the strike zone in the sixth, while Burke and ISU head coach Jim Brownlee were ejected in the seventh. Burke argued balls and strikes after home plate umpire Jeff Bowerman called him out on strikes. Brownlee was then asked to leave after he had words with Bowerman.