Recap | Southern's offense explodes for 17, extend win streak to eight after run rule of Bellarmine

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Oct 17

2 PM

Baseball

Eastern Illinois University

Oct 24

2 PM

Baseball

Central Methodist University

CARBONDALE, Ill. - John Lemm's RBI single capped off an offensive explosion for the Southern Illinois offense as the Salukis forced a 17-7 mercy rule over Bellarmine Friday in Carbondale. The 17 runs are the most since an 18-run performance at Missouri State on May 18, 2024. Five different Salukis finished with multiple RBIs, while eight had multiple hits.

The Knights (2-10) struck in the top of the first as Casey Sorg and Brady Morse collected RBI hits to give Bellarmine an early 2-0.

Chase Carver (L, 0-3) shut Southern (9-3) out in the first two innings, but a four-run bottom of the third opened the floodgates for the rest of the contest. Cecil Lofton, Kristian Sprawling, and Mason Schwalbach each hit RBI singles, and a passed ball scoring Matt Schark put the Salukis up 4-2.

Seth Sweet-Chick got a run right back for the Knights with a solo homer, but the Dawgs widened the gap with three more in the bottom of the fourth. Schark knocked in half of his four RBIs with a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth, his third of the season. Lemm put Southern up by four with a double down the left-field line.

The seven runs in two innings would force Bellarmine starter Chase Carver out of the game after four innings pitched.

Schark tallied another RBI with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth.

Southern led 8-3 heading to the sixth after a solid performance from starter Jordan Huskey (W, 1-2). The Mountain Home, Ark., native struck out nine batters in five innings, and allowed three runs on eight hits.

Bellarmine got to Saluki reliever Jackson Payne with three runs in the sixth as Sorg's two-run single set the table for Eli Watson to score Landon Akers on a fielder's choice. Suddenly, the Knights were right back in the game.

As they had done all night, the Salukis picked up their pitchers. With two outs, Mason Schwalbach kept the inning going with an RBI single, and for the third time in the last four games, Southern cracked back-to-back homers courtesy of a two-run shot from Kaleb Hall and a solo homer from Jaxon Holder to give the Dawgs a 12-6 lead.

Sweet-Chick's RBI double in the top of the seventh would merely delay the inevitable, as SIU would end the game with five runs in the bottom of the seventh to win by 10. Kristian Sprawling laced a home run over the center field fence to once again put the lead at six. With two outs, Southern got RBI singles from Jordan Bach, Schark, Lofton, and Lemm to put the deficit at 10 and end the game.

UP NEXT
The Salukis and Knights will continue the series with a 2 p.m. start on Saturday. Visit siusalukis.com/coverage to listen or follow along with Live Stats.

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