Southern Illinois University
6-10
Kentucky
14-2
Salukis Drop Series Finale with Kentucky
03/12/2023 | 3:57:00 | Baseball
Kentucky (14-2) pulled ahead early, scoring four runs in the top of the first. The Wildcats used four walks and a pair of base hits in the inning to take the early advantage. Saluki starter Paul Bonzagni left the game after facing just four batters due to injury.
Ryan Rodriguez put the Salukis on the board in the bottom of the second with a solo home run that hit the foul pole down the left field line. The Salukis added two more on back-to-back RBIs from Cole Christman and Nate Lyons, and it was a one-run game after two.
Kentucky bounced back by adding three more in the third and fourth innings, taking a four-run lead into the fifth.
UK put up 14 runs in the top of the fifth, putting the game out of reach and forcing a mercy rule after the seventh inning. The 21 runs are tied for the 5th-most runs allowed in program history. Kentucky used 14 base hits, nine walks, three hit-by-pitches as well as a trio of Salukis errors en route to the victory.
Rodriguez led the way for SIU with a pair of hits, including his fourth home run of the season. Emilien Pitre led UK with a 3-for-3 day at the plate, scoring four runs.
UP NEXT
Southern Illinois will travel to UT Martin on Tuesday to take on the Skyhawks. The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Zack Lee (3-0)
L: Bonzagni, Paul (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Emilien Pitre 2 ; Hunter Gilliam 2
HR: Devin Burkes 1 ; Ryan Waldschmidt 1
RBI: Jackson Gray 2 ; Jase Felker 3 ; Devin Burkes 4 ; Emilien Pitre 2 ; Hunter Gilliam 5 ; Ryan Waldschmidt 2 ; James McCoy 1
SH: Jase Felker 1
SF: Jase Felker 1 ; Hunter Gilliam 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jackson Gray 4 ; Jase Felker 2 ; Devin Burkes 2 ; Emilien Pitre 4 ; Hunter Gilliam 1 ; Ryan Waldschmidt 1 ; James McCoy 2 ; Reuben Church 2 ; Grant Smith 3
HBP: Jackson Gray 2 ; Emilien Pitre 1 ; Ryan Waldschmidt 1
Batting:
HR: Rodriguez, Ryan 1
RBI: Rodriguez, Ryan 1 ; Christman, Cole 1 ; Lyons, Nate 1
SF: Christman, Cole 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rodriguez, Ryan 1 ; Bandy, Nathan 1 ; Eltoft, Bennett 1
SB: Eltoft, Bennett 1
CS: Boucher, Pier-Olivier 1 ; Lyons, Nate 1
