Southern Illinois University
8-10
Southern Indiana
7-10
Eight-Run Ninth Inning Leads Salukis Past Southern Indiana
03/15/2023 | 7:04:00 | Baseball
The Salukis entered the ninth inning trailing 9-8 but reeled off a season-high eight runs in the final frame to complete the rally. The Salukis were patient at the plate in the ninth as USI went to its seventh pitcher of the night to start things off. SIU drew four walks, had three hits including a home run and took advantage of two wild pitches and an error as USI closed the game using nine hurlers.
SIU's (8-10) first three hitters reached base before Southern Indiana went directly to the bullpen to get out of the jam. It didn't happen as the Salukis tied the game on a wild pitch before Noah Cook loaded the bases again with a walk.
With the bases loaded Kaeber Rog drew a walk to push across the go-ahead run before another wild pitch made it an 11-9 advantage for SIU. Bennett Eltoft doubled home two runs down the line in right before Pier-Olivier Boucher put the final mark on the rally with a home run to right field to cap off the inning for Southern.
The Salukis had to rally throughout the game as Southern Indiana started hot with a 4-0 lead in the first with just one base hit in the inning – taking advantage of four Salukis walks. It would be a 5-0 lead before Southern was able to get on the board in the third inning.
A three-run seventh would get the SIU offense going as Southern tallied four timely hits to tie the game at six apiece. USI answered quickly with a three-spot in the bottom half to go back in front 9-6.
The Salukis would get two more runs in the eighth to cut into the Southern Indiana lead once more. Steven Loden led off the inning reaching on an error and Rog delivered a double to right to set up runners in scoring position and no outs. Eltoft and Zack Jenson each tallied sacrifice flies to score the runs.
Southern outhit USI 13-10 with five Salukis recording multiple base hits. Boucher and Rog went for three hits apiece while Boucher and Eltoft led the team with three RBIs.
Six Saluki pitchers saw time on the mound with Jordan Bloemer pitching three strong innings to limit USI. He struck out four of the 13 batters he faced before allowing two late runs before giving way to Easton Dermody and Paul Bonzagni in the final three innings.
Bonzagni would be credited with the win to move to 2-2 on the season after pitching a scoreless eighth and ninth, allowing just one base hit and striking out one of the eight batters he faced.
UP NEXT
Weather has altered the weekend series between Southern Illinois and Illinois as the programs have agreed to travel to Booneville, Mississippi. The series will now take place at Northeast Mississippi Community College at The Plex.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bonzagni, Paul (2-2)
L: Harris, Riley (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Rog, Kaeber 2 ; Eltoft, Bennett 2 ; Jensen, Zack 1
HR: Boucher, Pier-Olivier 1
RBI: Bandy, Nathan 1 ; Boucher, Pier-Olivier 3 ; Rodriguez, Ryan 1 ; Rog, Kaeber 1 ; Eltoft, Bennett 3 ; Jensen, Zack 2 ; Vallee, Mathieu 1
SF: Eltoft, Bennett 1 ; Jensen, Zack 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Boucher, Pier-Olivier 2 ; Rodriguez, Ryan 1 ; Cook, Noah 1 ; Loden, Steven 2 ; Rog, Kaeber 4 ; Eltoft, Bennett 2 ; Jensen, Zack 1 ; Vallee, Mathieu 3
SB: Rodriguez, Ryan 1 ; Vallee, Mathieu 1
HBP: Christman, Cole 1
PO: Boucher, Pier-Olivier 1
Batting:
2B: Tachioka, Ren 1 ; McNew, Lucas 1
RBI: McNew, Lucas 2 ; Ebest, Tucker 2 ; Ellis, Jack 2 ; Taylor, Drew 2 ; Kapust, Tyler 1
SF: Taylor, Drew 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kahre, Evan 1 ; Tachioka, Ren 3 ; McNew, Lucas 2 ; Ebest, Tucker 2 ; Niehaus, Caleb 1
SB: Tachioka, Ren 1 ; Niehaus, Caleb 1
HBP: Kahre, Evan 1 ; Tachioka, Ren 1 ; Taylor, Drew 1
