Baseball defeats Butler, 8-1

Sunday, March 9

Carbondale, Ill.

3:00 P.M.

Southern Illinois University

4-5

Butler

0-5

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

03/09/2008 | 12:00:00 | Baseball

Box Score

March 9, 2008

Box Score

By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois University (4-5) registered 10 hits, including eight from four of the first five hitters in its lineup to key a 8-1 victory over Butler (0-5) earlier today at Abe Martin Field. Chris Murphy, Scott Elmendorf and Tyler Bullock led the Dawgs with two hits each.

"Overall, I thought we played well," said Saluki head coach Dan Callahan. "We didn't hammer the ball, but we saw it well enough and took advantage of a few errors."

SIU's one, two, three and five hitters, consisting of Murphy, Elmendorf, Adam Hills and Bullock went a combined 7-for-12 (.583) with five runs and four RBI on the day.

SIU took a quick 2-0 lead thanks to a RBI-double by Bullock and a two-out error by the Bulldogs.

The Salukis tacked on three more runs in the third and another in the fourth to push their lead to 6-0.

Murphy walked, went to third on a single by Elmendorf and touched home on a balk. Hills followed with a single to right and went to second on an error. Elmendorf scored on the same play. Bullock then knocked in Hills on a one-out single to right.

Tyler Choate led off with a single, went to second on a two-out walk by Murphy and scored on Elmendorf's base hit in the fourth.

SIU put up two more tallies to finish off the Bulldogs in the sixth.

The Salukis, who scored in the sixth inning for the first time this season, used a run-scoring triple by Murphy and another Butler error to pull ahead, 8-1. Prior to today, SIU had been outscored, 10-0, in the sixth.

Butler's only run came in the fifth when Colin Ziegler singled and scored on an ensuing double by Kyle McLaughlin.

Cody Adams (1-1) recorded his first win of the season after allowing four hits and a run. Adams also struck out five and walked only one, throwing 73 pitches on the day.

Ryan Kruszka (0-2) suffered the loss for the Bulldogs, giving up seven hits and six runs in 3.2 innings. He walked three and struck out two, as well.

SIU pounded out double-digit hits for the fourth time this season. The Salukis also outhit their opponent for the fourth time, improving to 3-1 in such games.

The Salukis and Bulldogs wrap up their two-game series Monday at 1 p.m., CST.