Southern Illinois University
6-11
North Dakota
2-9
Baseball edges North Dakota, 4-3, in 10 innings
03/14/2009 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
March 14, 2009
By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Freshman Jordan Sivertsen delivered the game-winning single in the bottom of the 10th inning to give Southern Illinois University (6-11) a thrilling 4-3 win over North Dakota (2-9) earlier today at Abe Martin Field.
Sivertsen was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts before knocking in the winning run on his one-out single in the 10th. He became the first Saluki to get a walk-off hit since Tyler Lairson doubled in the bottom of the 11th inning against Saint Louis on May 13, 2008.
"We made some great plays on defense, pitched well and got the big hit we needed to win the game," said Saluki associate head coach Ken Henderson. "It was an exciting game and we never gave up."
SIU trailed, 3-2, until tying the game on a wild pitch in the ninth. Tyler Bullock led off the inning with a double and was replaced by pinch-runner Chase Sanford, who went to third when Tony Lepore laid down a bunt single with two strikes. Sanford later touched home on Mike Lueck's pitch in the dirt.
After Saluki righthanded reliever Andrew Dunn sat UND down in order in the top of the 10th, Michael Stalter drew a leadoff walk against Fighting Sioux righthander Jameson Benson. Benson gave way to righthander Andrew Gudmunson immediately following the walk.
Mark Kelly then moved Stalter into scoring position on a sacrifice-bunt. Gudmunson intentionally walked Chris Serritella to get to Sivertsen, who made him pay with his hit to left.
SIU fell behind, 1-0, in the fifth, but answered with two runs in the bottom half of that inning when Lepore scored on a sacrifice fly by Chris Murphy and Aaron Roberts came home on a single by Stalter.
UND responded with two runs of its own with the help of back-to-back doubles in the top of the sixth. Josh Laegin doubled to left center and scored on Andy Sadler's double down the right field line. Sadler went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Jake Magner's sacrifice fly to give the Fighting Sioux a 3-2 lead.
Dunn, who improved to 3-2 on the year, was strong out of the Saluki bullpen, striking out two and allowing three hits in 4.2 scoreless innings.
Benson (0-1) suffered the loss for UND. He relieved Lueck, who gave up just three runs on 10 hits, while striking out seven in nine innings. Lueck threw 150 pitches on the day.
SIU registered 11 hits, 10 of which were singles. Scott Elmendorf went 3-for-5 to lead the Dawgs. Roberts (2-for-4, 1 run) and Lepore (1-for-4, 1 run) accounted for three more hits and two of the four runs at the bottom of SIU's lineup.
Josh Nelson went 2-for-2 with one RBI out of the eight-hole to lead UND.
SIU, which made some excellent plays on defense, especially in the eighth inning, went without an error for the fourth time in its last six games.
The Salukis and Fighting Sioux wrap up their series on Sunday at 1 p.m., CT. Righthander David Kington (0-2) and lefthander Brandon Baumgartner (0-3) are scheduled to start on the mound.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Dunn, Andrew (3-2)
L: Jameson Benson (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Josh Lagein 1 ; Andy Sadler 1 ; Andrew Marek 1
RBI: Andy Sadler 1 ; Jake Magner 1 ; Josh Nelson 1
SH: Andy Sadler 1
SF: Jake Magner 1 ; Josh Nelson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Josh Lagein 1 ; Andy Sadler 1 ; Andrew Marek 1
HBP: Josh Nelson 1
Batting:
2B: Bullock, Tyler 1
RBI: Murphy, Chris 1 ; Stalter, Michael 1 ; Sivertsen, Jordan 1
SH: Stalter, Michael 1 ; Kelly, Mark 1
SF: Murphy, Chris 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Stalter, Michael 1 ; Sanford, Chase 1 ; Lepore, Tony 1 ; Roberts, Aaron 1
