
Photo by: Will Becque
Purple Aces take Game Two from SIU
04/09/2022 | 5:30:00 | Baseball
EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- The Southern Illinois Salukis dropped a 6-2 battle on the diamond in Evansville to tie up the series against the Purple Aces Saturday afternoon.
Noah Farmer made his ninth start on the mound, garnering his first loss on the season. The Saluki (22-9, 3-2 MVC) bullpen of Farmer and reliever Tanner Lewis gathered six strikeouts, allowing six runs on 11 hits.Â
Running the bats early, the Purple Aces' shortstop Simon Sherry got the home team on the board with an RBI groundout, sending one home. Next batter, third baseman Brent Widder, was good for an RBI single through the right and landing a 2-0 Evansville game by the first inning.
On the Saluki offense, right fielder Nathan Bandy popped off his eighth hit in four games into deep left-center, sending left fielder Pier-Olivier Boucher home and another double on the season in the top of three. Widening the score, Evansville came back with an RBI single into right field from catcher Brendan Hord to close in 3-1.
After scoreless fourth and fifth innings, designated hitter J.D. went yard over the purple wall in right field, marking his second home run on the season and closing the gap to a one-run game in the top of six. Evansville bested the Salukis in the next half, a double down the right field line off the bat of Mark Shallenberger sent home two more for the Purple Aces.
The final stamp on the board was a solo home run into right field from Hord, in the bottom of the eighth.
SIU battled on the plate, never reaching a "three up, three down" in eight innings straight, while collecting eight hits from eight different batters.
The Salukis and Purple Aces will battle for the series ending, tomorrow afternoon inside Braun Stadium. First pitch is set for 1pm.
Noah Farmer made his ninth start on the mound, garnering his first loss on the season. The Saluki (22-9, 3-2 MVC) bullpen of Farmer and reliever Tanner Lewis gathered six strikeouts, allowing six runs on 11 hits.Â
Running the bats early, the Purple Aces' shortstop Simon Sherry got the home team on the board with an RBI groundout, sending one home. Next batter, third baseman Brent Widder, was good for an RBI single through the right and landing a 2-0 Evansville game by the first inning.
On the Saluki offense, right fielder Nathan Bandy popped off his eighth hit in four games into deep left-center, sending left fielder Pier-Olivier Boucher home and another double on the season in the top of three. Widening the score, Evansville came back with an RBI single into right field from catcher Brendan Hord to close in 3-1.
After scoreless fourth and fifth innings, designated hitter J.D. went yard over the purple wall in right field, marking his second home run on the season and closing the gap to a one-run game in the top of six. Evansville bested the Salukis in the next half, a double down the right field line off the bat of Mark Shallenberger sent home two more for the Purple Aces.
The final stamp on the board was a solo home run into right field from Hord, in the bottom of the eighth.
SIU battled on the plate, never reaching a "three up, three down" in eight innings straight, while collecting eight hits from eight different batters.
The Salukis and Purple Aces will battle for the series ending, tomorrow afternoon inside Braun Stadium. First pitch is set for 1pm.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Smith, Nick (3-2)
L: Farmer, Noah (3-1)

Batting:
2B: Bandy, Nathan 1
HR: Ortiz, J.D. 1
RBI: Bandy, Nathan 1 ; Ortiz, J.D. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Boucher, Pier-Olivier 1 ; Ortiz, J.D. 1
SB: Weber, J.T. 1 ; Boucher, Pier-Olivier 1 ; Epps, Grey 1
HBP: Epps, Grey 1

Batting:
2B: Shallenberger, Mark 1 ; Craig, Tanner 1 ; Berkey, Evan 1
HR: Hord, Brendan 1
RBI: Shallenberger, Mark 2 ; Scherry, Simon 1 ; Widder, Brent 1 ; Hord, Brendan 2
SH: Hord, Brendan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Shallenberger, Mark 1 ; Craig, Tanner 1 ; Berkey, Evan 1 ; Borgstrom, Danny 1 ; Roberts, Eric 1 ; Hord, Brendan 1
SB: Rumsey, Ty 1
CS: Hord, Brendan 1
HBP: Scherry, Simon 1 ; Rumsey, Ty 1
PO: Roberts, Eric 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
Players Mentioned
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Wednesday, September 17
Inside Saluki Athletics - September 16th
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9.16.25 | Coach Nick Hill Weekly Press Conference
Tuesday, September 16