SLU knocks off SIU, 6-4

Tuesday, May 16

Marion, Ill.

6 p.m.

Southern Illinois University

26-27

Saint Louis

30-19

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

Photo by: Madison Case

05/16/2017 | 9:38:00 | Baseball

Box Score

By: By John Lock | SIUSalukis.com

MARION, Ill. - The Saint Louis baseball team got two big two-out swings in a 6-4 win over Southern Illinois on Tuesday night at Rent One Park. Trent Leimkuehler hit a three-run double in the third inning, and Parker Sniatynski hit a two-run homer in the sixth. All six of SLU's runs came with two outs.

"There were a ton of positives. This was a good game," SIU head coach Ken Henderson said. "My only negative was too many walks. We stuck people out on the mound that we needed to get some innings. What hurt us was walking the nine-hole. You're not going to get out of that unscathed, turning the lineup over. Those are the big negatives, but we threw a lot of good pitches. Brad Harrison was really good. We swung it OK. We didn't get the big hit, but that happens. It wasn't like we had brutal ABs in those situations. We just didn't get them to fall. Overall, we hate losing, but there are a lot of positives we can take from this."

The Salukis got good pitching on a bullpen day. Henry Boeckmann started the game and pitched two scoreless frames to open the game. Anthony Shimkus struck out four in two innings and escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fourth. Brad Harrison also struck out four in his three innings. He kept Southern within striking distance down the stretch.

After Leimkuehler's three-run double in the third, Southern answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning. Addison Fugitt took advantage of a couple wild pitches to get to third, and Connor Kopach drove him in with a sacrifice fly. Ryan Smith followed with his first home run of the year to get SIU within 3-2.

After Sniatynski extended SLU's lead to 5-2 in the sixth, the Salukis again answered right back. SIU loaded the bases with no outs, and Kopach drove in a run with a single. Smith brought home a second run with a sacrifice fly.

But the Salukis couldn't get over the hump. Southern went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position--Kopach's RBI single and a bunt single. Saint Louis only pitched two clean innings in the game, but they were the eighth and ninth to nail down the win.

The game was the final mid-week contest of the year for SIU, which finished 3-10 in those games. The Salukis close the regular season at Bradley May 18-20 before heading to the MVC Tournament in Springfield, Mo., from May 24-27.