Baseball loses to Bradley, 4-3

Saturday, April 12

Carbondale, Ill.

2:00 PM

Southern Illinois University

18-14, 3-5

Bradley

15-15, 6-5

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

04/12/2008 | 12:00:00 | Baseball

Box Score

April 12, 2008

Box Score

By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Grant Escue's sacrifice fly scored the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning to give Bradley (15-15, 6-5) a 4-3 win over Southern Illinois (18-14, 3-5) earlier today at a cold and gloomy Abe Martin Field.

BU beat SIU in a series for the fourth year in a row.

Tommy Fitzgerald started BU's ninth-inning comeback with a single to left and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Mitidiero pushed Fitzgerald to third with a base knock to left. Escue followed with a high fly ball to left field, allowing Fitzgerald to score what held up to be the winning run.

It was another disappointing loss for the Dawgs, who left the bases loaded four times and stranded a season-high 21 baserunners.

What made the loss even more painful was the fact that SIU walked a stunning 14 times. BU pitchers just seemed to be giving the game away, but the Salukis couldn't capitalize.

BU took a 2-0 lead after scoring a run in each of the first and third innings.

Scott Elmendorf's error on the first pitch of the game let Nick Mitidiero on, who came around to score with the help of a sacrifice bunt, passed ball and single by Colby Luttrell.

Mitidiero scored again in the third when he drew a leadoff walk, advanced to third on an infield single by Escue and touched home when Dan Brewer grounded out to short.

SIU took its only lead when it scored three runs in the fourth.

Owen Mackedon singled with one out and moved to second when Chris Murphy walked. Bret Maugeri extended his hitting streak to 15 games when he singled up the middle to score Mackedon. Adam Hills followed with a single to plate Murphy and Mark Kelly reached on a base hit the next play. Dean Cademartori then drew a two-out, four-pitch walk to score Maugeri, giving the Dawgs a 3-2 lead.

BU, however, tied the game up when Dan Brewer singled and came around to score in the eighth.

SIU had the bases loaded with two outs in the ninth, but Cademartori grounded to short for the final out of the game.

Bryan Porter (1-0), who came in with a hefty 10.57 ERA, was credited with the win. He allowed two hits, walked three and struck out one in 2.2 scoreless relief innings.

Kori Jensen picked up his team-high fifth save after giving up one hit and walking two in one inning.

Daniel Wells (2-1) fell to his first loss of the season. Wells gave up two hits and the go-ahead run in two-thirds of an inning.

Shawn Joy started on the mound for SIU. Joy tossed four-straight innings of no-hit, shutout baseball before allowing a one-out single to Brewer in the eighth. Joy worked eight innings, allowing five hits and three runs. He also struck out three and walked four.

SIU's 21 runners left on base more than doubled its hit total on the day. SIU finished with nine hits. Maugeri, Mackedon and Kelly led the way with two hits.

Luttrell, who lifted the Braves to victory with a three-run homer in Friday's series-opener, led BU with two hits.

SIU, which has lost three in a row, wraps up its series against BU on Sunday at 1 p.m., CST. Righthander David Kington is scheduled to start on the mound for SIU.