Baseball Splits Doubleheader with Indiana State

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2 PM

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Oct 24

2 PM

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April 30, 2005

Final Stats

By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Southern Illinois (27-16, 10-7) collected a season-high 18 hits, received another sparkling pitching performance from Tyler Norrick and scored nine unearned runs in a 12-2 win over Indiana State (25-18, 8-6), as both teams split a doubleheader earlier today at Sycamore Field. After committing seven errors in game one, the Sycamores regrouped to win the nightcap, 11-8.

Everything seemed to go SIU's way in game one.

Norrick was dominant on the mound again. All nine Saluki starters contributed at least one hit at the plate. And, the defense, led by another spectacular catch by center fielder Kevin Koski, played well too.

Norrick (4-1), who opened his ninth start of the season by striking out five in three no-hit innings, limited ISU to four hits in eight frames. He also gave up two runs, one of which was unearned in the fifth.

"Tyler continues to improve his command and is learning how to pitch more and more each time out," said Saluki pitching coach Bryan Wolff. "He had a very good two-seam fastball today, which helped keep their hitters off-balance."

While Norrick was cruising for the Dawgs, ISU redshirt-freshman Ryan Tatusko struggled.

Tatusko (6-1), who didn't get much help from his defense, scattered nine hits, gave up eight runs (three earned), hit a batter, issued three walks and threw two wild pitches in five innings, before suffering his first loss of the season.

Tatusko fell behind, 2-0, in the first, where Koski reached on an error and scored with the help of back-to-back singles by P.J. Finigan and Nathan Emrick. Finigan, who wound up on third after Emrick's hit and Chris McCulloch's sacrifice-bunt, touched home when Erik Alvarez walked with the bases loaded.

Jake Eigsti, who marked the only Sycamore to reach base in Norrick's first three innings, scored an unearned run to pull ISU to within one (2-1) in the second, but that was as close as ISU would get.

SIU would then go on to score two runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth, one in the eighth and three more in the ninth to bury the Trees.

In the second game, ISU scored five runs in the third inning to knock out SIU left-hander Bryan Rueger.

Rueger (6-3), whose loss marked the first by a Saluki starter since Apr. 2, gave up six hits and seven runs in only 2.2 innings.

SIU, who at one time trailed, 9-5, made a strong comeback late in the game, where it plated three runs between the seventh and eighth innings.

After scoring one run in the seventh, the Salukis drew four consecutive one-out walks in the eighth, but ended up leaving the tying run on third when McCulloch grounded out to short. SIU was hitting .439 with 19 RBI in two-out situations over its last three games prior to the second game of today's doubleheader.

Andrew Galle (2-5) struck out four in four relief innings to get the win for the Sycamores.

Offensively, eight of nine Saluki starters hit .300 or better in today's twin bill.

Of that group, Finigan and Emrick were most productive.

Finigan, who extended his hitting streak to 11 games, went 4-for-9 (.444) with three runs scored, a double and three RBI, while Emrick went 4-for-11 (.364) with four runs, a double, triple and three RBI. Hunter Harrigan also had four RBI (all in game one), and Koski posted three hits to keep his hitting streak alive at 19 games.

As a team, SIU hit .363 with 29 hits.

ISU, on the other hand, stole eight bases, which added to its league-leading 103 on the year.

SIU and ISU conclude their series at 1 p.m., tomorrow. Finigan (5-2) is scheduled to pitch for the Dawgs.

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