Salukis complete season-opening sweep at Stetson

Sunday, February 19

DeLand, Fla.

11 a.m.

Southern Illinois University

3-0

Stetson

0-3

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Southern Illinois	1	7	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	8	11	0
Stetson	0	0	0	0	0	3	1	0	0	4	8	1

02/19/2017 | 3:11:00 | Baseball

Box Score

By: By John Lock | SIUSalukis.com

DeLAND, Fla. - The Southern Illinois baseball team completed a three-game sweep at Stetson on opening weekend with an 8-4 win on Sunday afternoon at Melching Field. The Salukis scored all eight runs in the first two innings and never trailed in any point in the three-game series.

"Any time you play a Florida team, especially opening weekend, and you come out 3-0, that's a hell of an accomplishment," SIU head coach Ken Henderson said. "I'm proud of our kids. Our effort was great all weekend. We did what we needed to do, and we'll continue to improve and build from here."

SIU (3-0) sent 13 men to the plate in a seven-run second inning to blow it open. The Salukis had seven hits and drew four walks in the 38-minute half-inning. After SIU already had three runs in, Jake Hand hit a two-out line drive to left field. Stetson's left fielder, Austin Bogart, drove into the wall and pushed a gate open. Hand circled the bases for an inside-the-park grand slam.

"We had some great ABs," Henderson said. "We got some breaks and took advantage of them. We hit some balls hard. That's what our offense is capable of. We scored 7, 7 and 8 runs in the three games, but we can be a lot better on offense. We gave Joey a big lead, and that's a good feeling."

Joey Marciano took the hill for the Salukis and threw four scoreless innings. The only time he got into trouble--Stetson loaded the bases in the bottom of the second--was after a 45-minute wait while Southern scored seven runs in the top half. Saluki starting pitching--Marciano (4.0 IP, 0 ER), Chad Whitmer (6.0 IP, 1 ER) and Michael Baird (6.2 IP, 0 ER)--combined for an 0.54 ERA on opening weekend.

Stetson (0-3) strung hits together in the middle innings and brought the game within 8-4. The Hatters scored three in the sixth, but Connor Kopach, Will Farmer and Logan Blackfan teamed up on a sensational double play to limit further damage. Jamison Steege and Ryan Netemeyer dominated the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, to ensure that Stetson never truly threatened.

"We went 3-0; but as a coach, I'm worried about what we can do to get better," Henderson said. "We need to throw more strikes in the bullpen. We gave up four runs, and three of them were direct results of walks or hit by pitch. We need to clean that up, but our guys are talented enough that if we don't beat ourselves, we're going to be awfully good in that bullpen."

Southern heads to Austin Peay on Tuesday for the first mid-week game of the season. Johnston City native Allen Montgomery will be the starting pitcher for the Salukis.

"If you're going to have a great year, you need to focus on those mid-weeks as much as you focus on the weekends," Henderson said. "We're going to face a really good ball club, and it's going to be a challenge."

SERIES NOTES

Southern Illinois now leads the all-time series with Stetson, 11-10, and has won four-straight in the series ... This was the fifth time SIU and Stetson played a three-game series, and the first time that either team has swept a three-game set ... SIU never trailed in the series ... Southern Illinois is 3-0 for the first time since 1979 and swept a three-game series to open the season for the first time since 1974 ... SIU's three starting pitchers combined to allow 1 earned run in 16.2 innings for an 0.54 ERA ... After Stetson scored in the second inning of Friday's game, Southern's three starters combined to throw 15-straight scoreless innings ... Will Farmer went 7-for-12 (.583) and led SIU in hitting over the weekend ... Eight Salukis had at least four RBIs during the three-game series ... Jacob Williams had two appearances, giving him 61 in his career. He needs nine more appearances to crack the top-10 in school history ... Ryan Netemeyer recorded his 14th career save, one away from tying Andrew Weber (2002-05) for fifth in SIU's career saves list ... Logan Blackfan hit his 42nd career double, five away from cracking SIU's top-10 list and 10 away from the school record.