Southern Illinois University
18-11
Murray St.
15-14
Baseball Downs Murray State, 6-2
04/06/2005 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
April 6, 2005
By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Senior P.J. Finigan went 3-for-4 with a triple, RBI and one run scored to lead Southern Illinois (18-11) to its fifth consecutive win at home earlier today when the Salukis beat Murray State (15-14), 6-2. The win extended SIU's record to 11-3 at Abe Martin Field this season.
Finigan hit safely to help SIU take a 1-0 lead in the first. In his next at-bat, he delivered a RBI-single as part of a two-run second.
With his team ahead, 4-2, after six, Finigan led off the seventh inning with a triple to right center, and later scored a key run, as the Dawgs pulled away from the Thoroughbreds for good.
Freshman Ryan Terry took the mound for his second midweek start, and set the tone early on. A native of Palmyra, Mich., he limited MSU to two hits in four straight scoreless innings.
While Terry was keeping Thoroughbred hitters in check, SIU's offense gave him a 3-0 lead, which held up until the fifth.
It was then, where MSU gave the Salukis a scare.
Terry allowed a leadoff single to Jamie Leidolf and hit Phil Lopez to give MSU runners at first and second. After a Brett Mullins SAC-bunt advanced the runners, Chaz Ebert singled home Leidolf.
Despite the jam, however, Terry kept his poise and regrouped to get Lopez out on a fielder's choice at the plate for the second out of the inning.
The inning appeared to be over when Alex Stewart hit a routine grounder to SIU second baseman Tyler Lairson, but an error on the play enabled Ebert to score an unearned run, and narrow the gap to 3-2.
With the help of Finigan's triple and run scored in the seventh, and Brendan Lutz's sacrifice fly in the eighth, SIU was able to shake off the `Breds threat, and hang on for the 6-2 win.
Terry (1-0) picked up his first win as a Saluki. He scattered four hits and gave up two runs (one unearned), while recording a pair of strikeouts and issuing two walks in five innings.
Terry was relieved by Dylan Ward, who ran into trouble in the seventh, after Ebert drew a leadoff walk and Seth Hudson singled to center.
With no outs and Thoroughbreds on first and second, Ryan Welch took over for Ward and posted back-to-back strikeouts.
Shortly after issuing a bases loaded walk to Austin Swain, Welch got Dustin Hennigar to line out to right.
Welch would also pitch well in the eighth, before Mark Obszanski struck out two in a perfect ninth to cap a solid effort from the Saluki bullpen.
Left-hander Jake Ociesa (2-3) suffered the loss for MSU. He gave up five hits and four runs in five innings. Additionally, he struck out four and walked two.
MSU, who was out-hit, 8-6, also committed three errors and left 10 runners on base.
Hudson led the `Breds with two hits.
SIU returns to Missouri Valley Conference action this weekend when it travels to Bradley for a three-game series, beginning Friday at 6 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Terry, Ryan (1-0)
L: J. Ociesa (2-3)
Batting:
RBI: Chaz Ebert 1
SH: B. Mullins 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Chaz Ebert 1 ; J. Leidolf 1
HBP: Phil Lopez 2
Batting:
2B: Brewer, Matt 1 ; Lairson, Tyler 1
3B: Finigan, P.J. 1
RBI: Finigan, P.J. 1 ; Harrigan, Hunter 1 ; Emrick, Nathan 1 ; Lutz, Brendan 1 ; Lairson, Tyler 1
SF: Lutz, Brendan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Koski, Kevin 1 ; Finigan, P.J. 1 ; Brewer, Matt 1 ; Cademartori, Dean 2 ; Lairson, Tyler 1
SB: Harrigan, Hunter 1 ; Emrick, Nathan 1 ; Cademartori, Dean 1
CS: Koski, Kevin 1
HBP: Cademartori, Dean 1
