Friday, February 14
Edinburg, TX
6:30 PM
Southern Illinois University
0-1
4
at
8
UTRGV
1-0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Southern Illinois
1
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
4
1
UT Rio Grande Valley
0
2
0
0
0
4
1
1
X
8
8
1
Photo by: Tori Alvarado, UTRGV Athletic Communications
Recap | Salukis Fall to UT Rio Grande Valley in Season Opener, 8-4
02/14/2025 | 9:57:00 | Baseball
EDINBURG, Texas – Southern Illinois baseball opened the 2025 season with an 8-4 loss to Texas Rio Grande Valley Friday night in Edinburg, Texas. The Salukis led the Vaqueros 4-2 after three innings, but UTRGV scored four in the sixth and a run in both the seventh and eighth to earn the win.
The Saluki offense wasted no time jumping into the scoring column as Mason Schwalbach doubled to right field to open the game. He would come in to score two batters later off a sacrifice fly off the bat of Michael Mylott.
Southern put up a three-spot in the third inning after recording three hits and taking advantage of a Vaqueros error in the outfield. With two outs on the board, it was Jordan Bach who delivered the clutch double down the third base line to put two runners in scoring position. Mylott would follow Bach's double with one of his own as he found the gap in right to bring home Matt Schark and Bach to make it a 3-2 SIU lead. Mylott would make it a two-run lead for Southern a batter later after a dropped fly ball in left.
Left-hander Jordan Huskey (0-1) made his Saluki debut on the mound. The Mountain Home, Arkansas native pitched five innings and struck out five hitters in the outing. Huskey retired nine-straight Vaqueros until the sixth inning when UTRGV hitter Damien Whitfield was hit-by-pitch to begin the frame.
That would get the offense going for Rio Grande Valley as the Vaqueros would string together three hits and take advantage of an error in the frame to plate four runs and energize the 3,937 fans in attendance.
After Whitfield reached base to leadoff the inning, Thomas Williams doubled and Easton Moomau singled to force a Saluki pitching change. UTRGV would draw a walk from right-hander Jackson Payne to load the bases. Southern looked to be out of the inning with a double play but a review would overturn the call at first base and send Payne and the Salukis back to the field. UTRGV took advantage of the extra out by adding an insurance run.
Southern was able to force UTRGV starting pitcher Angelo Cabral from the game after three innings, but it was reliever Wyatt Wiatrek who put together the strongest performance of the day on the mound. Wiatrek would pitch five flawless innings in relief while striking out six batters to earn the win.
Mylott led the Salukis with three RBIs in the game. Schwalbach, Bach, Mylott, and Gabe Petrucelli recorded the lone hits for the Salukis in the loss. Williams and Moomau had two hits apiece for UTRGV as the Vaqueros outhit SIU 8-4 in the game.
Payne finished with two and two-third innings, allowing four hits, and two runs while striking out one. Tanner Gerdes finished the eighth inning with a strikeout.
UP NEXT
The Salukis and Vaqueros will play game two of the weekend series Saturday evening with the first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will air on ESPN Plus.
FOLLOW THE SALUKIS
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Salukis by following the team on X at @SIU_Baseball, on Facebook at Facebook.com/SalukiBaseball, and on Instagram at @SIU_Baseball. Fans can also download the "Salukis" Mobile App on the App Store or Google Play Store.
The Saluki offense wasted no time jumping into the scoring column as Mason Schwalbach doubled to right field to open the game. He would come in to score two batters later off a sacrifice fly off the bat of Michael Mylott.
Southern put up a three-spot in the third inning after recording three hits and taking advantage of a Vaqueros error in the outfield. With two outs on the board, it was Jordan Bach who delivered the clutch double down the third base line to put two runners in scoring position. Mylott would follow Bach's double with one of his own as he found the gap in right to bring home Matt Schark and Bach to make it a 3-2 SIU lead. Mylott would make it a two-run lead for Southern a batter later after a dropped fly ball in left.
Left-hander Jordan Huskey (0-1) made his Saluki debut on the mound. The Mountain Home, Arkansas native pitched five innings and struck out five hitters in the outing. Huskey retired nine-straight Vaqueros until the sixth inning when UTRGV hitter Damien Whitfield was hit-by-pitch to begin the frame.
That would get the offense going for Rio Grande Valley as the Vaqueros would string together three hits and take advantage of an error in the frame to plate four runs and energize the 3,937 fans in attendance.
After Whitfield reached base to leadoff the inning, Thomas Williams doubled and Easton Moomau singled to force a Saluki pitching change. UTRGV would draw a walk from right-hander Jackson Payne to load the bases. Southern looked to be out of the inning with a double play but a review would overturn the call at first base and send Payne and the Salukis back to the field. UTRGV took advantage of the extra out by adding an insurance run.
Southern was able to force UTRGV starting pitcher Angelo Cabral from the game after three innings, but it was reliever Wyatt Wiatrek who put together the strongest performance of the day on the mound. Wiatrek would pitch five flawless innings in relief while striking out six batters to earn the win.
Mylott led the Salukis with three RBIs in the game. Schwalbach, Bach, Mylott, and Gabe Petrucelli recorded the lone hits for the Salukis in the loss. Williams and Moomau had two hits apiece for UTRGV as the Vaqueros outhit SIU 8-4 in the game.
Payne finished with two and two-third innings, allowing four hits, and two runs while striking out one. Tanner Gerdes finished the eighth inning with a strikeout.
UP NEXT
The Salukis and Vaqueros will play game two of the weekend series Saturday evening with the first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will air on ESPN Plus.
FOLLOW THE SALUKIS
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Salukis by following the team on X at @SIU_Baseball, on Facebook at Facebook.com/SalukiBaseball, and on Instagram at @SIU_Baseball. Fans can also download the "Salukis" Mobile App on the App Store or Google Play Store.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wiatrek, Wyatt (1-0)
L: Huskey, Jordan (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Schwalbach, Mason 1 ; Bach, Jordan 1 ; Mylott, Michael 1
RBI: Mylott, Michael 3
SF: Mylott, Michael 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Schwalbach, Mason 1 ; Bach, Jordan 1 ; Mylott, Michael 1 ; Schark, Matt 1
CS: Lofton, Cecil 1
HBP: Lofton, Cecil 1 ; Hall, Kaleb 1
Batting:
2B: Williams, Thomas 2 ; Raygoza, Armani 1
RBI: Moomau, Easton 3 ; Warren, Hank 1 ; Carter, Cameron 1 ; Martinez, Erick 1 ; Whitfield, Damien 1
SF: Carter, Cameron 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Williams, Thomas 2 ; Moomau, Easton 1 ; Lancia, Steven 1 ; Raygoza, Armani 1 ; Carter, Cameron 1 ; Sanchez, Jacob 1 ; Whitfield, Damien 1
SB: Raygoza, Armani 1 ; Carter, Cameron 1
CS: Martinez, Erick 1
HBP: Whitfield, Damien 1
PO: Martinez, Erick 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C/OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballOF/INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballC/INF
/ Baseball9.9.25 | Coach Nick Hill Weekly Press Conference
Tuesday, September 09
Inside Saluki Athletics - September 9th
Tuesday, September 09
9.7.25 | Saluki Radio Postgame Purdue- Vinson Davis and Andrew Behm
Sunday, September 07
9.7.25 | Saluki Radio Postgame Purdue - Nick Hill
Sunday, September 07