Southern Illinois University
15-21, 3-6
Indiana State
21-13, 8-3
Baseball drops series-opener to Indiana State, 5-4
04/17/2009 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
April 17, 2009
By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Indiana State University (21-13, 8-3) withstood Tyler Bullock's three-run home run in the ninth inning to squeak by Southern Illinois (15-21, 3-6), 5-4, Friday at Sycamore Field.
SIU trailed, 5-1, before Bullock went yard for the second time in the game.
The Salukis, after going down quietly in the seventh and eighth innings, rallied when Chris Serritella walked to ignite a one-out threat. Aaron Roberts knocked out Sycamore starting righthander Eric Valdez on the next play when he doubled to right center. Bullock then blasted ISU closer Matt Shelton's second offering over the right field wall.
Shelton, however, struck out Jordan Sivertsen and forced Tony Lepore to ground out to third en route to his third save of the season. Sivertsen, who leads the Salukis with 35 strikeouts, whiffed three times on the night.
SIU fell behind, 2-0 in the second inning, where Bronco Lafrenz scored on a two-out single by Ben Ferrell and Brian Jett touched home on an error.
Bullock pulled the Dawgs to within a run when he went opposite field for a home run in the fifth.
The Sycamores answered with two more runs in the sixth. Luke Fieser led off with a first-pitch double, went to second on a single by Tyler Graham and scored on a sacrifice fly by Lafrenz. Graham later came home with the help of another two-out Saluki error, giving ISU a 4-1 cushion.
Brady Shoemaker scored the decisive run when he homered off SIU reliever David Kington with one out in the seventh.
Valdez (3-2) came within two outs of a complete game. He gave up three runs (two of which were in the ninth), six hits and struck out six in 8.1 sparkling innings. Valdez retired the Salukis in order in each of the third, seventh and eighth innings, as well.
Righthander Adam Curynski (1-4) suffered the loss after giving up four runs on seven hits. Curynski also struck out one and hit two batters. SIU has just one win from a Friday start er this season.
Shoemaker narrowly missed hitting for the cycle when he went 4-for-4 with two singles, a double, home run, one run scored and one RBI to lead ISU. The Sycamores outhit the Salukis, 9-7.
Bullock went 2-for-4, scored twice and knocked in all of SIU's runs. Bullock became the second Saluki to homer two times in a game this season. Scott Elmendorf added a game-high three hits for the Dawgs.
SIU has now homered in six-consecutive games.
ISU won its seventh-straight game in conference play, while SIU suffered its sixth Valley loss in a row. Seven of the Salukis' nine league games have been decided by one run.
SIU and ISU conclude their series with a doubleheader at 2 p.m., ET, Saturday. The Sycamores and Salukis were initially scheduled to play Sunday, but the threat of bad weather forced the series to be adjusted. Righthander Andrew Dunn (4-3) and lefthander Jimmy Cornell (2-1) are expected to start on the mound.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Valdez, Eric (3-2)
L: Curynski, Adam (1-4)
S: Shelton, Matt (3)
Batting:
2B: Elmendorf, Scott 1 ; Roberts, Aaron 1
HR: Bullock, Tyler 2
RBI: Bullock, Tyler 4
Base Running:
RUNS: Serritella, Chris 1 ; Roberts, Aaron 1 ; Bullock, Tyler 2
HBP: Kelly, Mark 1
Batting:
2B: Shoemaker, Brady 1 ; Fieser, Luke 1
HR: Shoemaker, Brady 1
RBI: Shoemaker, Brady 1 ; Lafrenz, Bronco 1 ; Ferrell, Ben 1
SH: Ramirez, Brian 1
SF: Lafrenz, Bronco 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Shoemaker, Brady 1 ; Fieser, Luke 1 ; Graham, Tyler 1 ; Lafrenz, Bronco 1 ; Jett, Brian 1
CS: Graham, Tyler 1
HBP: Strausborger, Ryan 1 ; Jett, Brian 2
PO: Shoemaker, Brady 1
