Baseball beats Illinois State, 5-3

Saturday, March 24

Carbondale, Ill.

2:00 PM

Southern Illinois University

18-6, 2-0

Illinois State

9-11, 0-2

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

03/24/2007 | 12:00:00 | Baseball

Box Score

March 24, 2007

Box Score

By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Sophomore right-hander Cody Adams allowed six hits, struck out two and recorded 15 groundball outs in a complete game victory, as Southern Illinois University (18-6, 2-0) beat Illinois State (9-11, 0-2), 5-3, earlier today at Abe Martin Field.

A native of Viola, Ill., Adams became the first Saluki pitcher to toss a complete game since Tyler Norrick threw a one-hit, seven-inning shutout in a 13-0 win at Evansville (April 24, 2005).

"Cody had a great two-seam fastball working for him today and that's why he was able to get a lot of groundball outs," said Saluki head coach Dan Callahan. "He had great velocity on his pitches."

SIU fell behind, 1-0, in the top of the third, but answered with four runs in the bottom half of that inning to take a three-run lead.

The Salukis' four-run rally came after Ryan Anetsberger's blast over the left field wall was ruled foul with a runner on. Anetsberger and ISU pitching coach Tim Brownlee were later ejected from the game.

Michael Finigan led off the third with a single to right and went to second when Aaron Roberts reached on an error.

With two outs and runners at first and second, Mark Kelly delivered a first-pitch single to right, and Finigan scored.

Dean Cademartori came to the plate next, and launched a first-pitch, three-run homer over the left field wall to give SIU a 4-1 cushion. For Cademartori, it was his team-high fourth home run of the season.

ISU pulled to within a run (4-3) after manufacturing a run in the fourth and fifth innings.

A Saluki error led to Jesse Griswold touching home for an unearned run in the fourth, while Mike Tokarski singled, stole second, and scored on back-to-back groundball outs in the fifth.

SIU tacked on one final run when Roberts singled and came around to score with the help of a walk, a Kelly single and an error.

Adams improved to an impressive 7-0 on the year, as he pitched the first complete game of his career.

Luke Baughman, the younger brother of former Saluki Nick Baughman, suffered the loss. He fell to 0-2 after giving up seven hits and five runs in four innings.

Offensively, SIU out-hit the `Birds, 10-6. Kelly, who kept his hitting streak alive at 20 games, led the way by going 3-for-4 with a run scored and one RBI.

He hit safely in each of his first three at-bats of the game, and has gotten a hit in seven of the last eight times he's been to the plate.

Cademartori followed with two hits. He finished at 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBI.

Tokarski led the Redbirds with two hits.

SIU goes for its first sweep of ISU in 17 years Sunday at 1 p.m., CST. Junior left-hander Shawn Joy (1-1) will start on the mound for the Dawgs.

"I'm happy we are guaranteed to win our conference-opening series, but we can't be content with winning two of three," said Callahan. "We need to go out and try to sweep the series."