Recap | Salukis Eliminated from MVC Tournament Following a 10-5 Loss to Murray State

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NORMAL, Ill. – Southern Illinois' postseason run came to an end Thursday night at Duffy Bass Field as top-seeded Murray State used a 17-hit attack and multiple big innings to down the Salukis, 10-5, in an MVC Tournament elimination game.

The loss dropped SIU to 37-20 overall and ended the Salukis' season after a record-setting offensive performance Wednesday in the tourney opener.

Junior shortstop Tim Simay led the Salukis with a three-hit night, including a solo home run and an RBI double. Simay reached base four times and scored twice as part of a strong tournament showing. Senior Cecil Lofton drove in a pair of runs with a two-run single in the third, while Jaxon Holder and Michael Mylott added RBIs in a game where SIU outhit just once in the final four innings.

Murray State (37-13) broke the game open in the third inning with four runs, including a three-run homer from center fielder Jonathan Hogart. The Racers added a run in the fourth and put the game away late with three runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth.

Southern chipped away in the middle innings. After Simay's double set the table in the fifth, Mylott brought him home on a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 5-3. In the seventh, Simay homered to left center and Lofton later scored on a single from Holder to trim the lead to 7-5.

But the Salukis stranded two in the seventh and went hitless over the final two innings as Murray State padded its lead.

On the mound, starter Al Holguin went 3.2 innings and allowed five earned runs on eight hits. Alec Nigut pitched 2.2 innings of relief and allowed three runs before giving way to Sam Frizzi, who gave up two more across the final five outs. Nigut (7-4) was hit with the loss in relief.

Offensively, SIU collected 11 hits and drew six walks but left 12 runners on base, including bases-loaded opportunities in the second and fourth innings that came up empty. Southern also grounded into a key double play in the sixth.

The Racers were led by Hogart, who went 1-for-3 with three RBIs and three walks. Right fielder Dustin Mercer added four hits and drove in a run, while left fielder Dan Tauken doubled twice and drove in two.

The defeat closes the book on a 37-win campaign for Southern Illinois, which set a program and MVC Tournament record with 10 home runs in its opening-round loss to UIC and saw senior Matt Schark tie the all-time Saluki home run record with 36 for his career.

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