Recap | Salukis Sweep Saturday Doubleheader with UIC with a Pair of Walk-Offs to Earn Series Win

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CARBONDALE, Ill. – After dropping the series opener to UIC Friday night, Southern Illinois rallied to sweep a Saturday doubleheader with UIC, winning in dramatic fashion with a pair of 10-inning walk-off victories. The Salukis moved to 15-7 overall and 2-1 in the Missouri Valley Conference after the wins.

Game One – SIU 5, UIC 4 (10 Innings)
Southern Illinois rallied late to secure a 5-4 extra-inning victory over UIC in game one of the Saturday afternoon doubleheader. The Salukis used a walk-off single from Tim Simay in the 10th inning to cap off the comeback win over the Flames.

UIC jumped ahead in the fifth inning when James Harris launched a three-run homer to center field, giving the Flames a 3-0 lead. Southern Illinois responded in the bottom half of the inning with back-to-back solo home runs from Michael Mylott and Gabe Petrucelli to cut the deficit to one.

In the eighth, Kaleb Hall's solo shot to right center tied the game at 3-3, setting up the finish. The Flames briefly regained the lead in the ninth when Harris belted his second home run of the night, a solo shot to right field, putting UIC up 4-3.

The Salukis refused to go away, evening the score once again in the bottom of the ninth. Petrucelli crossed home plate on a fielder's choice by Hall, which was aided by a throwing error when UIC opted to look to the plate to get the lean runner and tying run.

UIC led off the top of the 10^th with a single up the middle from Lucas Smith to put on the early pressure. The Salukis would get a punchout from Sam Frizzi for the first out before UIC loaded the bases with two walks. Southern would turn the 6-4-3 double play to end the half inning and keep the Flames scoreless.

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th, Simay delivered the game-winning hit -- a single to right center -- driving in Cecil Lofton to seal the 5-4 victory for Southern Illinois.

Frizzi (1-0) earned the win in relief, tossing 2.1 innings while allowing just one run on three hits. Colin Hawkins (1-1) took the loss for UIC.

Meade Johnson pitched 5.2 innings for the Salukis in the start, allowing three earned runs on four hits. Johnson walked four and struck out three in the outing. Gavan Wernsing pitched two shutout innings, allowing just one base hit and striking out three.

Mylott, Simay and Petrucelli led the charge with two hits apiece in the win.

Tommy Egan allowed just three hits in 4.1 innings while striking out seven in the start. James Harris led UIC with a pair of home runs, accounting for all four of the Flame runs.

Game Two – SIU 10, UIC 9 (10 Innings)
The Salukis rallied from a seven-run deficit to stun UIC 10-9 in 10 innings in the nightcap, ending the comeback with Jordan Bach's walk-off double down the left-field line.

The Salukis trailed 9-2 entering the bottom of the seventh before erupting for eight unanswered runs, including a four-run seventh and two-run eighth to force extra innings. Bach, who had a game-high four RBIs on a 4-for-5 performance, delivered the game-winner in the 10th, plating Kaleb Hall to ignite the SIU celebration.

UIC struck early with Jack Snyder's two-run homer in the first and added insurance with a three-run fifth and a three-run sixth, highlighted by Jackson Bessette's three-run double, to build what seemed to be an insurmountable lead.

But SIU answered in the seventh when Jaxon Holder and Bach hit back-to-back RBI hits before Cecil Lofton's infield single made it 9-5. John Lemm then launched a two-run homer to right, bringing SIU within two. In the eighth, Bach's two-run single tied the game, setting up his heroics in the 10th.

Cole Koonce (2-0) was dominant in relief, tossing 4.2 scoreless innings with five strikeouts to earn the win. Jordan Huskey went three innings in the start while Al Holguin went two innings.

SIU pounded out 17 hits, with Mason Schwalbach and Gabe Petrucelli also going deep. UIC was led by Snyder's three-hit, four-RBI performance.

UIC's Zack Millsap (0-3) took the loss. Jack Snyder collected three of UIC's 12 hits in the game.

UP NEXT
Southern Illinois will play a pair of midweek games against UT Martin – with one being a makeup from a postponement earlier this season. On Tuesday, the Salukis will play at UT Martin at 5 p.m. before hosting the Skyhawks on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

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.

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