Southern Illinois University
13-18
Southeast Missouri
18-11
Baseball shuts out SE Missouri, 7-0
04/07/2009 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
April 7, 2009
By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Lefthander Jimmy Cornell allowed just three hits and struck out three in six scoreless innings to lead Southern Illinois University (13-18) to a 7-0 win over Southeast Missouri State (18-11) Tuesday at Abe Martin Field.
Cornell was one of four pitchers who combined on SIU's first shutout in 51 games. The last time the Salukis pitched a shutout was at Wichita State on April 19, 2008.
A native of Poplar Bluff, Mo., Cornell sat the Redhawks down in order in each of the first, third and fifth innings. He recorded 12 fly ball outs on the day, as well.
The Saluki offense staked Cornell to an early 2-0 lead when Aaron Roberts scored on a sacrifice fly and Mark Kelly touched home on a two-out double by Chris Serritella in the bottom of first.
After tacking on another run in the fourth, SIU scored twice more in each of the fifth and seventh innings to put the game out of reach.
Serritella and Jordan Sivertsen came home on Tony Lepore's two-out single in the fifth, while Scott Elmendorf launched a two-run homer to push SIU's lead to 7-0 in the seventh. The homer marked Elmendorf's second of the season.
Righthanders Andrew Dunn, David Kington and Bryant George handled things the rest of the way after Cornell exited the game in the seventh.
Dunn gave up one hit, walked one and struck out one in the seventh. Kington recorded back-to-back groundball outs and one strikeout in a perfect eighth. And, George retired three-straight after giving up a leadoff single in the ninth.
Cornell improved to 2-1 on the year. He has given up only one run in 17 innings over his last three starts.
Cornell, Dunn, Kington and George limited SEMO to no runs on five hits. The Redhawks were averaging eight runs and 10 hits per game prior to today.
Righthander Corey Harness (0-1) suffered the loss in his first career start. Harness gave up four hits and three runs, while striking out three and walking four in 3.2 innings. SEMO pitchers issued a walk in every inning for a total of nine on the day.
The Salukis registered 11 hits, with Kelly, Lepore and Serritella leading the way. Kelly matched a season-high four hits when he went 4-for-5 with a run scored. Lepore and Serritella followed with two hits apiece. Lepore went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI, while Serritella finished at 2-for-3 with a run scored, doubles and two walks.
Tony Spencer, Justin Wheeler, Matt Wagner, Tyrell Cummings and Trenton Moses combined for SEMO's quiet five hits.
SIU remains home to host Ohio Valley Conference preseason-favorite Jacksonville State this weekend. The Salukis and Gamecocks open a three-game series on Friday at 1 p.m., CT.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Cornell, Jimmy (2-1)
L: HARNESS, Corey (0-1)
Batting:
2B: SPENCER, Tony 1 ; MOSES, Trenton 1
Base Running:
HBP: WAGNER, Matt 1
Batting:
2B: Serritella, Chris 1 ; Sanford, Chase 1 ; Sivertsen, Jordan 1
HR: Elmendorf, Scott 1
RBI: Murphy, Chris 1 ; Stalter, Michael 1 ; Serritella, Chris 1 ; Lepore, Tony 2 ; Elmendorf, Scott 2
SH: Dutton, Wade 1
SF: Murphy, Chris 1 ; Stalter, Michael 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Roberts, Aaron 1 ; Kelly, Mark 1 ; Serritella, Chris 1 ; Sivertsen, Jordan 1 ; Lepore, Tony 2 ; Elmendorf, Scott 1
SB: Roberts, Aaron 1 ; Lepore, Tony 1
HBP: Murphy, Chris 1
