Salukis fall to Iowa, 7-5

Saturday, March 5

Carbondale, Ill.

2:00 PM

Southern Illinois University

6-4

Iowa

3-5

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Iowa	0	0	0	1	0	4	1	1	0	7	9	0
Southern Illinois	0	3	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	5	15	0

03/05/2016 | 12:00:00 | Baseball

Box Score

March 5, 2016

Box Score

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois could not hold an early four-run lead, yielding six runs over the final four innings to fall to Iowa, 7-5, Saturday afternoon at Itchy Jones Stadium. SIU (6-4) had runners in scoring position in eight-straight innings, but stranded 12 runners on base.

"I don't think that I've ever seen a game like we had today," SIU head coach Ken Henderson said. "We had runners in scoring position for eight-straight innings and had 15 hits. We just didn't have good at-bats with runners in scoring position. That was the difference in the ballgame. We played great defense and have seven stolen bases. We just didn't hit with runners in scoring position."

The Salukis scored three runs in the second inning for a 3-0 lead. Greg Lambert opened the frame with a single into center field. Hunter Anderson gave SIU the lead with a hard-hit double to score Lambert. Next up was Taylor Martin, who crushed a two-run home run — his first-career homer.

After the Hawkeyes (3-5) scored a run in the fourth to make it a 3-1 game, Southern responded with two more runs in the fifth to push the lead to 5-1. A walk to Logan Blackfan started the inning for Southern. He advanced to third on the next at-bat after Lambert hit a single into right field. Anderson picked up his second RBI and double of the game when he smacked a ground-rule two-bagger. A single from Martin made the score 5-1 in favor of the Salukis.

Despite holding a 5-1 lead, the momentum swung into Iowa's favor in the sixth inning, when the visitors tied the game with four runs. The inning was highlighted by a game-tying two-run home run. SIU started Chad Whitmer earned a no decision after pitching six innings, allowing five runs on five hits.

The Hawkeyes took the lead for good in the seventh, while adding a run in the eighth to make it a 7-5 game. Southern had a chance to tie the game in the eighth after getting two runners on, but back-to-back fly outs ended the Saluki threat.

SIU out-hit Iowa, 15-9, but could not get a timely hit when it needed one.

"The ball game should have been 9-1 or 10-1, but we didn't put them away," said Henderson. "We had the chance to put them away for eight innings but we just didn't do it. They are a good team and good athletes. When you have a chance to put them away you have to do it."

Southern will look to win the rubber match against the Hawkeyes on Sunday, as Michael Baird earns the start for the Salukis. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Itchy Jones Stadium.