Southern Illinois University
5-11
North Dakota
2-8
Baseball loses to North Dakota, 8-7
03/13/2009 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
March 13, 2009
By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Andy Sadler went a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs scored, a double and one RBI to lead the University of North Dakota (2-8) to an 8-7 win over Southern Illinois (5-11) earlier today at Abe Martin Field.
UND entered its first-ever meeting against SIU with a .206 batting average and 9.86 ERA, but outhit and outpitched the Salukis today.
"We didn't make the right adjustments at the plate and made some mistakes that hurt us in the end," said Saluki associate head coach Ken Henderson. "It was a disappointing loss."
SIU sent 13 men to the plate and built a 4-2 lead in the first two innings. After that, the Salukis went without a hit and a run until the seventh inning.
UND starting righthander Derek Biermaier gave up four runs on five hits in his first two innings, but retired 16 of 17 hitters before giving up a one-out single to Chris Murphy in the bottom of the seventh.
The Fighting Sioux offense rallied behind Biermaier and pulled to within a run (4-3) when Jabby Bakit drew a leadoff walk and later scored on a balk in the third.
UND then took its second lead of the game when it scored twice more in the fifth, and after that, the Fighting Sioux never trailed again.
Josh Laegin drew a two-out walk, went to second on a balk and scored on Sadler's base hit to left. Sadler advanced to third on an ensuing Jake Magner single and touched home on an error to give UND a 5-4 edge.
The Fighting Sioux rallied again in the seventh, where Sadler ripped a one-out single down the right field line and scored on Magner's base hit to left. Magner went to third on Aaron Cook's single and came home on a balk -- SIU's third of the day -- to push UND's lead to 7-4.
After SIU pushed across a run during its at-bat in the seventh, UND answered with a run of its own in the top of the eighth which proved to be huge in the end.
UND had runners at first and second with no outs after Joe Krivarchka and Josh Nelson walked. Moments after Bakhit hit into a fielder's choice, Laegin hit a groundball to shortstop Michael Stalter. Stalter fielded the ball and ran to second in attempt to get Bakhit out on the force. Instead, Bakhit was ruled safe, Lagein was out at first and Nelson scored from second to give the Fighting Sioux an 8-5 lead.
SIU threatened in the bottom of the eighth when Chris Serritella hit a two-run homer, narrowing the gap to 8-7, but Jameson Benson retired the Dawgs in order in the ninth to earn his first save of the season.
Biermaier (2-2) gave up nine hits and seven runs, while walking three and striking out four in eight innings.
Nathan Forer (0-3) suffered the loss. Forer allowed six hits and five runs in 5.2 innings. He also struck out four and walked two.
UND outhit SIU, 10-9, with Sadler and Magner getting seven of the hits. Magner went 3-for-5 with a home run, two runs scored and three RBI.
Murphy went 3-for-5 with two doubles, three runs scored and one RBI to lead SIU.
SIU, which sent five pitchers to the mound, has used a total of 36 pitchers in its last seven games.
The Salukis and Fighting Sioux meet again on Saturday at 2 p.m., CT. Righthanders Adam Curynski (1-1) and Mike Lueck (0-2) are scheduled to start on the hill.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Derek Biermaier (2-2)
L: Forer, Nathan (0-3)
S: Jameson Benson (1)
Batting:
2B: Andy Sadler 1
HR: Jake Magner 1
RBI: Josh Lagein 1 ; Andy Sadler 1 ; Jake Magner 3
SH: Andy Sadler 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Josh Lagein 1 ; Andy Sadler 3 ; Jake Magner 2 ; Josh Nelson 1 ; Jabby Bakhit 1
SB: Andy Sadler 1 ; Joe Krivarchka 2
CS: Jabby Bakhit 1
Batting:
2B: Murphy, Chris 2 ; Roberts, Aaron 1
HR: Serritella, Chris 1
RBI: Murphy, Chris 1 ; Stalter, Michael 1 ; Dutton, Wade 1 ; Serritella, Chris 2
SH: Elmendorf, Scott 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Murphy, Chris 3 ; Elmendorf, Scott 1 ; Sanford, Chase 1 ; Serritella, Chris 1 ; Roberts, Aaron 1
