Recap | Matthew Simay walks off Belmont in 10 for key Valley win in series opener

Thursday, April 17

Carbondale, IL

6 PM

Southern Illinois University

25-12, 8-5

Belmont

16-24, 6-7

Belmont

Southern Illinois

Photo by: Abby Harris

Recap | Matthew Simay walks off Belmont in 10 for key Valley win in series opener

04/17/2025 | 9:45:00 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Jordan Kruse, SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Matthew Simay's walk-off infield single helped Southern Illinois baseball to a series-opening win over the Belmont Bruins Thursday, April 17, in Carbondale, Ill.

The Bruins struck first with an RBI ground out, but the Salukis sped ahead with a four-run bottom of the second. Jordan Bach brought home a run with a walk, and Matt Schark cleared the bases with an RBI double. The hit brought Schark's RBI total to 50, a mark that leads the Missouri Valley Conference.

Belmont scratched two runs across with RBIs from Jake Maddox and Pete Daniel to bring the deficit to one in the fourth. Saluki starting pitcher Tyler Timmerman was lifted prior to the end of the frame. The right-hander pitched 4.2 innings and allowed three earned runs while striking out four and walking two.

After two scoreless frames from both staffs, Belmont's Ty Allen knotted up the contest at four with a solo blast in the top of the seventh.

The game headed to extras after Southern's Sam Frizzi and Belmont's Andrew Perry delivered scoreless frames in the ninth.

Frizzi recorded a 1-2-3 top of the 10th, setting the stage for the Saluki offense to score its first run since the second inning and end the contest.

Gabe Petrucelli walked, and Cecil Lofton got him to scoring position with a single down the right-field line with just one out. Matthew Simay hit a ball in the hole between second and third, and with the infield in, Landon Godsey could only get a glove on the ball, and Petrucelli would score to give Southern a key MVC win, 5-4.

Sam Frizzi (2-2) earned the win after yet another strong effort out of the bullpen. The Elk Grove, Calif., native pitched two shutout innings while facing the minimum and striking out three.

Andrew Perry took the loss (1-2) for the Bruins.

UP NEXT
Southern Illinois and Belmont will wrap the series with a doubleheader on Friday beginning at 2 p.m.

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