Baseball eliminates Creighton, 6-5

Friday, May 23

Wichita, Kan.

11:00 AM

Southern Illinois University

34-22

Creighton

37-21

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Creighton	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	2	5	10	0
Southern Illinois	0	0	3	0	0	0	3	0	X	6	14	3

05/23/2008 | 12:00:00 | Baseball

Box Score

May 23, 2008

Box Score

By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com

WICHITA, Kan. - Fifth-seeded Southern Illinois University (34-22) used a pair of three-run innings to edge third-seeded Creighton (37-21), 6-5, earlier today in the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.

The Salukis, who eliminated the Bluejays, are one of three teams remaining in this year's tournament. SIU advances to face the loser of top-seeded Wichita State and second-seeded Missouri State tonight at 7 p.m., CST. Tonight's game will be broadcast live on Magic 95.1 FM.

SIU fell behind, 1-0, in the first inning, but scored three runs to take the lead in the third.

Chris Murphy led off with a single to left, went to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored the tying run when Adam Hills ripped a one-out base hit to center. Kelly then stepped in and launched his fourth home run of the season over the left field wall to give the Dawgs a 3-1 lead. Kelly, who ranks second on the team in home runs, went yard against the Bluejays for the second time this year.

SIU added three more runs, all with two outs, in the seventh.

The Salukis sent eight men to the plate, Aaron Roberts, Dean Cademartori and Bret Maugeri delivered RBI-singles to push the lead to 6-1. Roberts delivered his clutch hit after CU intentionally walked Kelly.

SIU appeared to be in good shape carrying a five-run lead into the eighth, but the Bluejays stormed back.

Tyler Choate relieved starting righthander Adam Curynski in the eighth and walked Darin Ruf, before allowing a two-run homer to Steve Winkelmann.

Brett Mieras then led off the ninth with a single on a 0-2 pitch from Choate, went to second on an ensuing error by Tyler Lairson and scored on a sacrifice fly. Michael Lam, who reached on Lairson's mishap later scored on a base hit by Ruf to cut the lead to 6-5.

That was the closest CU would get, as Choate got Winkelmann to fly out to center and forced Vicente Cafaro to hit into a fielder's choice to end the game.

Curynski (5-1), who pitched around trouble all day, beat the Bluejays for the second time this year. He gave up six hits and one run, while striking out three in his MVC Tournament debut.

"My fastball was working today and that's about it," said Curynski. "I just tried to locate it and let the defense make plays behind me."

Lefthander Greg Hellhake (3-2) suffered the loss for CU. Hellhake worked four innings, allowing six hits and three runs.

SIU outhit CU, 14-10, with two hits coming from six different Salukis. Murphy, Scott Elmendorf, Hills, Kelly, Cademartori and Lairson were among that group. Lairson's hitting streak now stands at 13 games.

The Salukis also committed three errors, including two by Lairson.

"There were some things I definitely didn't like throughout the course of this game," said Saluki head coach Dan Callahan. "However, we did just enough to win. We have to play better tonight than we did today."