Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
18-11
Murray St.
11-14
Baseball crushes Murray State, 17-4
04/07/2008 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
April 7, 2008
By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Dean Cademartori narrowly missed hitting for the cycle when he went 4-for-5 with two singles, a double, home run, two runs scored and a career-high five RBI to lead Southern Illinois University (18-11) to a 17-4 win over Murray State (11-14) earlier today at Abe Martin Field.
SIU set new season-highs with 17 runs and 22 hits on the day. SIU last had 17 runs and 22 hits in a game at Florida Atlantic on Feb. 12, 2006.
"I was pleased with the way we swung it today," said Saluki head coach Dan Callahan. "We got on them early and never let up. We played strong for nine innings."
SIU put up four runs in the first, third, fifth and seventh innings to beat down the Thoroughbreds.
SIU's first three hitters reached base and scored in the first. Chris Murphy led off with a single to center and moved to second on a bunt single by Scott Elmendorf. Adam Hills walked to load the bases. Two hitters later, Tyler Bullock delivered a two-RBI single to right. Cademartori followed with a double to score Hills. Bullock scored on the same play with the help of an error.
The Salukis batted around and loaded the bases for the second time in the third. Cademartori singled up the middle, went to third on a double by Chris Crank and touched home on Chris Murphy's base hit. Elmendorf (1) and Mark Kelly (2) combined to knock in three more runs on two-out hits to push SIU's lead to 8-1.
SIU added four more runs with two outs in the fifth. Chase Sanford started the inning by reaching on an error. Kelly followed with a single and Sanford scored. Bullock recorded the third-straight hit of the inning, before Cademartori blasted a three-run homer over the left field wall to give SIU a 13-3 advantage.
The Salukis, who loaded the bases for the third time in the seventh, added another four runs on six more hits to polish off the dominating 17-4 win.
Freshman lefthander Nick Rice (1-1) picked up the first win of his Saluki career. Rice allowed seven hits and three runs, while striking out three in five innings.
Jake Donze (1-4) suffered the loss for MSU. Donze gave up 10 hits and eight runs in just 2.2 innings. Donze also struck out four and walked two.
Offensively, 10 Salukis hit safely and scored. Along with Cademartori, Kelly also had four hits to lead SIU. He went 4-for-6 with two runs and three RBI. Murphy, Elmendorf, Ryan Bittle and Bullock followed with two hits each. Murphy, Elmendorf, Sanford, Kelly, Bullock, Cademartori and Crank all scored twice, as well.
SIU has erupted for a combined 73 hits (14.6 avg) in its last five games.
The Thoroughbreds had 11 hits, with Cory Hodskins going a perfect 4-for-4 with two RBI. MSU also had three errors which led to six unearned runs.
SIU, which won its fifth game in a row, travels across the Mississippi River to face SE Missouri State Tuesday at 3 p.m., CST. Tuesday's game marks the Salukis' fifth in as many days.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Rice, Nick (1-1)
L: DONZE, Jake (1-4)
Batting:
3B: CRAYCRAFT, Chris 1
RBI: FREY, Elliot 1 ; HODSKINS, Cory 2 ; PETTIT, Evan 1
SF: FREY, Elliot 1 ; PETTIT, Evan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: SCHEER, Matt 1 ; CRAYCRAFT, Chris 2 ; PETTIT, Evan 1
SB: SCHEER, Matt 1
CS: CUNNINGHAM, Wes 1
Batting:
2B: Cademartori, Dean 1 ; Crank, Chris 1
HR: Cademartori, Dean 1
RBI: Murphy, Chris 1 ; Elmendorf, Scott 1 ; Kelly, Mark 3 ; Bullock, Tyler 2 ; Cerven, Tom 2 ; Cademartori, Dean 5 ; Crank, Chris 1 ; Mackedon, Owen 1
SF: Mackedon, Owen 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Murphy, Chris 2 ; Elmendorf, Scott 2 ; Bittle, Ryan 1 ; Hills, Adam 1 ; Sanford, Chase 2 ; Kelly, Mark 2 ; Bullock, Tyler 2 ; Cerven, Tom 1 ; Cademartori, Dean 2 ; Crank, Chris 2
