Friday, February 28
Morehead, Ky.
2 p.m. CT
Southern Illinois University
6-4
13
at
7
Morehead State
3-5
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Southern Illinois
0
0
1
0
4
1
1
0
6
13
13
1
Morehead State
1
0
2
0
0
1
0
0
3
7
12
1
SIU takes opener over Morehead State, 13-7
02/28/2020 | 7:30:00 | Baseball
MOREHEAD, Ky. — The Southern Illinois bats came alive in a series-opening 13-7 win over Morehead State at Allen Field.
The Eagles (3-5), who were 26-2 at home last season, led 3-1 after three innings. SIU (6-4) came back with runs in three-straight innings and added another six scores in the ninth inning to earn their fourth road victory of the 2020 season.
"Overall, it was a really good day for our guys," first-year head coach Lance Rhodes said. "We got off to a slow start in the first couple innings, but settled in once we got a chance to see their starting pitcher. We had some big, clutch hits at the right times."
SIU batted around in a four-run fourth inning to regain the lead, 5-3. Ian Walters scored two with a triple to the right-field wall. J.T. Weber followed with a two-run double to left center.
Southern's power continued in the next two innings. Austin Ulick hit a shot to dead center in the top of the fifth for his first-career home run. Brad Hudson extended SIU's lead to 7-4 in the top of the sixth with a homer, which was also his first as a Saluki.
"I think AU (Austin Ulick) had a big day in the nine-hole," Rhodes said. "Ian (Walters) also had a big day at the top of the order. Brad (Hudson) got a big knock at the two-hole. It started at the bottom and flipped over to the top where we could get some RBI's."
Mason Hiser (2-0) returned to the mound for his fourth start of the season. The senior ran into trouble early, as he allowed runs in the first and third inning. However, he went on to pitch two-straight scoreless innings before being pulled in the bottom of the sixth.
"Today was not an easy day to play," Rhodes said. "Whether you were hitting, pitching or fielding, it was really cold. Some innings got long at times with the runs put up. Being able to sit in the dugout, stay warm, and then go back out is tough. Hiser endured that and got us through the biggest part of the game. He got us to where we could hand it over Steidl and McDaniel with the lead."
The duo of Matthew Steidl and Trey McDaniel continued their dominance in relief. Steidl replaced Hiser in the bottom of the sixth and pitched two-scoreless frames. He retired his first five batters faced and allowed only two hits. It marked the fifth time Steidl has pitched two-plus scoreless innings in relief this season. McDaniel retired the side in order in the bottom of the eighth. On the season, the two pitchers have allowed no runs in a combined 23.1 innings pitched.
"Steidl has been rock solid," Rhodes said. "With the combination between him and Trey McDaniel, we feel like we have a really good chance to win whenever we have the lead. Once again, they gave us everything we could ask for."
Southern led 7-4 through eight innings. The Salukis broke the game open in the top of the ninth, as they turned four hits and four walks into six runs. Weber, Philip Archer and Walters each tallied RBI singles. Nick McAlister worked a 14-pitch at-bat into a walk and came around to score on Walters' single.
"In this ballpark, no one is ever out of the game," Rhodes said. "That's why you really have to grind out every pitch in every inning. You can be a walk, bloop, and home run away from being back in the game. We talked to our guys about that. In this game, in this ballpark, you're always in the opportunity to come back or expand the lead."
Ulick and Walters led the Salukis on offense with three hits each. Walters, Hudson, Weber and Archer recorded two or more RBI's. Weber also had a game-high two doubles.
SIU committed just one error on the day. Addison Fugitt made a jumping catch at the center-field wall for the first out of the game. Nick Neville made a team-best four assists at shortstop.
Southern Illinois will go for the series win tomorrow at 1 p.m. CT. Brad Harrison will take the mound for SIU.
Notes: The win was SIU's first-ever at Morehead … SIU has won two-straight against the Eagles … Ulick had a career-high three hits … Walters extended his hitting streak to seven games … Walters and Neville have reached base in all 10 games … SIU improved to 4-2 in road games.
The Eagles (3-5), who were 26-2 at home last season, led 3-1 after three innings. SIU (6-4) came back with runs in three-straight innings and added another six scores in the ninth inning to earn their fourth road victory of the 2020 season.
"Overall, it was a really good day for our guys," first-year head coach Lance Rhodes said. "We got off to a slow start in the first couple innings, but settled in once we got a chance to see their starting pitcher. We had some big, clutch hits at the right times."
SIU batted around in a four-run fourth inning to regain the lead, 5-3. Ian Walters scored two with a triple to the right-field wall. J.T. Weber followed with a two-run double to left center.
Southern's power continued in the next two innings. Austin Ulick hit a shot to dead center in the top of the fifth for his first-career home run. Brad Hudson extended SIU's lead to 7-4 in the top of the sixth with a homer, which was also his first as a Saluki.
"I think AU (Austin Ulick) had a big day in the nine-hole," Rhodes said. "Ian (Walters) also had a big day at the top of the order. Brad (Hudson) got a big knock at the two-hole. It started at the bottom and flipped over to the top where we could get some RBI's."
Mason Hiser (2-0) returned to the mound for his fourth start of the season. The senior ran into trouble early, as he allowed runs in the first and third inning. However, he went on to pitch two-straight scoreless innings before being pulled in the bottom of the sixth.
"Today was not an easy day to play," Rhodes said. "Whether you were hitting, pitching or fielding, it was really cold. Some innings got long at times with the runs put up. Being able to sit in the dugout, stay warm, and then go back out is tough. Hiser endured that and got us through the biggest part of the game. He got us to where we could hand it over Steidl and McDaniel with the lead."
The duo of Matthew Steidl and Trey McDaniel continued their dominance in relief. Steidl replaced Hiser in the bottom of the sixth and pitched two-scoreless frames. He retired his first five batters faced and allowed only two hits. It marked the fifth time Steidl has pitched two-plus scoreless innings in relief this season. McDaniel retired the side in order in the bottom of the eighth. On the season, the two pitchers have allowed no runs in a combined 23.1 innings pitched.
"Steidl has been rock solid," Rhodes said. "With the combination between him and Trey McDaniel, we feel like we have a really good chance to win whenever we have the lead. Once again, they gave us everything we could ask for."
Southern led 7-4 through eight innings. The Salukis broke the game open in the top of the ninth, as they turned four hits and four walks into six runs. Weber, Philip Archer and Walters each tallied RBI singles. Nick McAlister worked a 14-pitch at-bat into a walk and came around to score on Walters' single.
"In this ballpark, no one is ever out of the game," Rhodes said. "That's why you really have to grind out every pitch in every inning. You can be a walk, bloop, and home run away from being back in the game. We talked to our guys about that. In this game, in this ballpark, you're always in the opportunity to come back or expand the lead."
Ulick and Walters led the Salukis on offense with three hits each. Walters, Hudson, Weber and Archer recorded two or more RBI's. Weber also had a game-high two doubles.
SIU committed just one error on the day. Addison Fugitt made a jumping catch at the center-field wall for the first out of the game. Nick Neville made a team-best four assists at shortstop.
Southern Illinois will go for the series win tomorrow at 1 p.m. CT. Brad Harrison will take the mound for SIU.
Notes: The win was SIU's first-ever at Morehead … SIU has won two-straight against the Eagles … Ulick had a career-high three hits … Walters extended his hitting streak to seven games … Walters and Neville have reached base in all 10 games … SIU improved to 4-2 in road games.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hiser, Mason (2-0)
L: GOE,Jason (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Weber, J.T. 2
3B: Walters, Ian 1
HR: Hudson, Brad 1 ; Ulick, Austin 1
RBI: Walters, Ian 4 ; Hudson, Brad 2 ; Weber, J.T. 3 ; Archer, Philip 2 ; Ulick, Austin 1
SF: Hudson, Brad 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Walters, Ian 1 ; Hudson, Brad 2 ; Neville, Nick 2 ; Weber, J.T. 1 ; Archer, Philip 1 ; Hojnar, Sam 1 ; McAlister, Nick 1 ; Epps, Grey 2 ; Ulick, Austin 2
CS: Walters, Ian 1
HBP: Epps, Grey 1
Batting:
2B: HILL,Stephen 2
HR: PERONI,Dom 1 ; SELLS,Arthur 1
RBI: HILL,Stephen 4 ; PERONI,Dom 2 ; SELLS,Arthur 1
Base Running:
RUNS: LAYNE,Ryan 2 ; GOODNIGHT,Logan 1 ; HILL,Stephen 1 ; PERONI,Dom 1 ; SELLS,Arthur 1 ; SHOUPE,Brody 1
SB: PERONI,Dom 1
CS: BURGHARDT,Jon 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
4
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
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/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballC
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballOF
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