Tuesday, February 23
Carbondale, Ill.
5 p.m.
Southern Illinois University
4-0
10
vs
9
Eastern Illinois
2-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Eastern Illinois
1
3
0
3
1
0
0
0
1
9
12
0
SIU
0
1
5
3
0
1
0
0
X
10
14
4
SIU beats EIU, starts 4-0 for first time since 1977
02/23/2021 | 10:13:00 | Baseball
CARBONDALE, Ill. - With the potential game-tying run on second base in the ninth inning, SIU's Ian Walters made a diving play and threw out the runner to give SIU a wild 10-9 win over Eastern Illinois on Tuesday evening at Itchy Jones Stadium. SIU improved to 4-0 on the season, the program's best start since 1977.Â
The wild back-and-forth game had a little bit of everything. SIU (4-0) fell behind early. The Panthers (2-2), who opened the season by winning two of three at Nicholls State on opening weekend, scored a run in the first and three in the second. The Salukis got one run back in the bottom of the second and then put a five-spot up in the third to take a 6-4 lead. But Eastern was relentless, as well, and took a 7-6 lead with a three-run fourth. Again, SIU battled back, this time with a three-run bottom of the fourth to take the lead for good.
"When we talk about playing a complete 27 outs and never giving in early, I think we have guys who have bought into that," SIU head coach Lance Rhodes said. "For me, I feel like if our team plays a complete game, we're going to be a tough team to beat. We got down early, but there were still 24 outs to go. We have older kids that aren't going to cave into that. The maturity of our team shows in those situations."Â
EIU's nine runs were the most scored against SIU in a young season, but SIU's offense scored 10+ runs for a second-straight game and are averaging 12 hits and 8.8 runs per game this season while hitting .331/.424/.531.Â
"When you look at typical mid-week games, this is how they go," Rhodes said. "Both offenses tonight were swinging the bats really well. We had a tighter zone, too. When you combine a tighter zone and two teams that are swinging the bats really well, that usually will result in a lot of runs. I was hoping we wouldn't have to hit last."
Dylan Givens was a huge part of the win. Of the nine pitchers in the game between the two teams, only two weren't scored on. Givens only allowed one hit in 2.2 scoreless innings to put an end to the back-and-forth lead changes of the early innings.
SIU's defense was a part of the up-and-down nature of the game. One one hand, SIU committed a season-high four errors. On the other, the Salukis made a number of outstanding defensive plays that probably ultimately were the reason they won the game. Walters saved a run with a great play at third base to get the last out of the fifth inning. J.T. Weber laid out for a diving catch in left field in the seventh inning, and Nick Neville followed with a diving play and throw.Â
The two biggest defensive plays came when the game was on the line in the ninth inning. EIU came into the ninth inning down 10-8 but got a baserunner on a dropped third strike. SIU closer Trey McDaniel then got a potential double-play game-ending grounder back to the mound, but his throw to second was off the mark and everybody was safe.
With the tying runs on base, EIU doubled, but Tristan Peters fired a perfect throw from the left-center wall to Nick Neville, who took the relay and threw a strike to the plate to get the would-be game-tying run at the plate. On the very next play, with the tying run at second base, Walters stole a single in the 5-6 hole with a diving stop, and he got to his feet and threw a strike to Philip Archer at first to end the game.Â
"Those are game-changing plays. To do those two in a row was an incredible way to end a game," Rhodes said.
The win propelled SIU to a 4-0 start to a season for just the third time ever and the first time since 1977. The only time SIU has started better than 4-0 was the 1967 team's 11-0 start.Â
UP NEXT: SIU travels to Mercer for a three-game series. Mercer is one of just four programs in college baseball to win 35+ games in each of the past 10 years, along with LSU, Vanderbilt, and Florida State. The Bears are 3-0 and pitched three consecutive shutouts on opening weekend, beating Jackson State 9-0, 10-0, and 14-0.Â
NOTES: SIU started 4-0 for the third time in program history (11-0 in 1967 and 4-0 in 1977) ... Noah Farmer earned the win to improve to 2-0 on the year and 6-1 in his career ... Trey McDaniel earned the save, his second of the year and 21st of his career (21-for-25 in save opportunities in his career) ... Ian Walters went 2-for-5 with a double and a homer. Walters has reached base in 25-straight games, dating back to late 2019 ... Philip Archer has reached base in 15-straight games, dating back to last year ... Every spot in the order reached base at least once today, and the top eight spots all recorded a hit ... SIU has won nine-straight games, dating back to last season ... SIU is 6-0 at Itchy Jones Stadium under head coach Lance Rhodes and 37-13 in its last 50 home games overall ... SIU baseball (9-straight) and SIU softball (15-straight) have combined to win 24-straight games, dating back to last season. Saluki Athletics is one of only four programs in the country undefeated in 2021 in both baseball and softball.Â
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The wild back-and-forth game had a little bit of everything. SIU (4-0) fell behind early. The Panthers (2-2), who opened the season by winning two of three at Nicholls State on opening weekend, scored a run in the first and three in the second. The Salukis got one run back in the bottom of the second and then put a five-spot up in the third to take a 6-4 lead. But Eastern was relentless, as well, and took a 7-6 lead with a three-run fourth. Again, SIU battled back, this time with a three-run bottom of the fourth to take the lead for good.
"When we talk about playing a complete 27 outs and never giving in early, I think we have guys who have bought into that," SIU head coach Lance Rhodes said. "For me, I feel like if our team plays a complete game, we're going to be a tough team to beat. We got down early, but there were still 24 outs to go. We have older kids that aren't going to cave into that. The maturity of our team shows in those situations."Â
EIU's nine runs were the most scored against SIU in a young season, but SIU's offense scored 10+ runs for a second-straight game and are averaging 12 hits and 8.8 runs per game this season while hitting .331/.424/.531.Â
"When you look at typical mid-week games, this is how they go," Rhodes said. "Both offenses tonight were swinging the bats really well. We had a tighter zone, too. When you combine a tighter zone and two teams that are swinging the bats really well, that usually will result in a lot of runs. I was hoping we wouldn't have to hit last."
Dylan Givens was a huge part of the win. Of the nine pitchers in the game between the two teams, only two weren't scored on. Givens only allowed one hit in 2.2 scoreless innings to put an end to the back-and-forth lead changes of the early innings.
SIU's defense was a part of the up-and-down nature of the game. One one hand, SIU committed a season-high four errors. On the other, the Salukis made a number of outstanding defensive plays that probably ultimately were the reason they won the game. Walters saved a run with a great play at third base to get the last out of the fifth inning. J.T. Weber laid out for a diving catch in left field in the seventh inning, and Nick Neville followed with a diving play and throw.Â
The two biggest defensive plays came when the game was on the line in the ninth inning. EIU came into the ninth inning down 10-8 but got a baserunner on a dropped third strike. SIU closer Trey McDaniel then got a potential double-play game-ending grounder back to the mound, but his throw to second was off the mark and everybody was safe.
With the tying runs on base, EIU doubled, but Tristan Peters fired a perfect throw from the left-center wall to Nick Neville, who took the relay and threw a strike to the plate to get the would-be game-tying run at the plate. On the very next play, with the tying run at second base, Walters stole a single in the 5-6 hole with a diving stop, and he got to his feet and threw a strike to Philip Archer at first to end the game.Â
"Those are game-changing plays. To do those two in a row was an incredible way to end a game," Rhodes said.
The win propelled SIU to a 4-0 start to a season for just the third time ever and the first time since 1977. The only time SIU has started better than 4-0 was the 1967 team's 11-0 start.Â
UP NEXT: SIU travels to Mercer for a three-game series. Mercer is one of just four programs in college baseball to win 35+ games in each of the past 10 years, along with LSU, Vanderbilt, and Florida State. The Bears are 3-0 and pitched three consecutive shutouts on opening weekend, beating Jackson State 9-0, 10-0, and 14-0.Â
NOTES: SIU started 4-0 for the third time in program history (11-0 in 1967 and 4-0 in 1977) ... Noah Farmer earned the win to improve to 2-0 on the year and 6-1 in his career ... Trey McDaniel earned the save, his second of the year and 21st of his career (21-for-25 in save opportunities in his career) ... Ian Walters went 2-for-5 with a double and a homer. Walters has reached base in 25-straight games, dating back to late 2019 ... Philip Archer has reached base in 15-straight games, dating back to last year ... Every spot in the order reached base at least once today, and the top eight spots all recorded a hit ... SIU has won nine-straight games, dating back to last season ... SIU is 6-0 at Itchy Jones Stadium under head coach Lance Rhodes and 37-13 in its last 50 home games overall ... SIU baseball (9-straight) and SIU softball (15-straight) have combined to win 24-straight games, dating back to last season. Saluki Athletics is one of only four programs in the country undefeated in 2021 in both baseball and softball.Â
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Farmer, Noah (2-0)
L: BIRDSONG (0-1)
S: McDaniel, Trey (2)
Batting:
2B: EICKHOFF 1 ; EMME 1 ; SWEENEY 1 ; KERRIGAN 1
RBI: EICKHOFF 3 ; EMME 1 ; SWEENEY 2 ; KNERNSCHIELD 1 ; DOYLE 2
SF: SWEENEY 1
Base Running:
RUNS: EICKHOFF 2 ; EMME 1 ; SWEENEY 2 ; KERRIGAN 1 ; SMITH 1 ; DILUCA 1 ; TOPPEL 1
HBP: SWEENEY 1 ; KNERNSCHIELD 2
Batting:
2B: Walters, Ian 1 ; Weber, J.T. 1 ; Neville, Nick 1 ; Massaglia, Vinni 1 ; Archer, Philip 1 ; Epps, Grey 1
HR: Walters, Ian 1
RBI: Walters, Ian 1 ; Neville, Nick 2 ; Massaglia, Vinni 1 ; Archer, Philip 2 ; Hudson, Brad 3
SF: Neville, Nick 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Walters, Ian 2 ; Weber, J.T. 1 ; Neville, Nick 1 ; Peters, Tristan 2 ; Massaglia, Vinni 2 ; Archer, Philip 2
SB: Peters, Tristan 1 ; Hudson, Brad 1
CS: Archer, Philip 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
2
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
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RHP
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RHP
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RHP
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INF
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