Sunday, May 4
Murray, KY
11:30 AM
Southern Illinois University
31-15, 12-8
2
at
3
Murray State
32-11, 14-7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
R
H
E
Southern Ill.
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
2
6
0
Murray State
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
1
3
7
0
Photo by: Dave Winder
Recap | Salukis Split Sunday Doubleheader with Murray State
05/04/2025 | 5:00:00 | Baseball
MURRAY, Ky. – Southern Illinois baseball salvaged a road win in the final game of a weekend series at Murray State. The Salukis (32-15, 13-8 MVC) fell in extra innings in the opener, 3-2 before shutting out the Racers in the finale, 11-0.
Game Two – Southern Illinois 11, Murray State 0
Southern Illinois stormed out of the gates and never looked back, belting three home runs and getting a dominant outing from left-hander Al Holguin to rout Murray State, 11-0, in eight innings Sunday at Johnny Reagan Field.
Holguin was lights-out from the start. The senior southpaw fired six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out six and working around four walks. He threw 102 pitches in the win to improve to 3-0 on the season. Tanner Gerdes and Blaine Harpenau each tossed a scoreless frame to complete the combined shutout.
The Saluki offense provided an immediate cushion in the first inning. Junior Jordan Bach set the tone with a leadoff solo home run – his second leadoff home run of the weekend and his ninth of the year. Later in the frame, second baseman Gabe Petrucelli launched a three-run shot -- his ninth of the year -- to stake SIU to a 4-0 lead. John Lemm added a solo blast in the second, and Southern's bats weren't finished.
After a quiet stretch in the middle innings, the Salukis exploded for four more runs in the seventh. Following a pair of walks, senior Cecil Lofton turned on a 1-1 pitch and drilled a three-run home run to right, giving SIU an 8-0 cushion. Lofton finished with three RBIs, his second straight game with a homer. A fielding error later in the inning allowed Matt Schark to score an unearned run.
Southern tacked on two more in the eighth without a hit. A walk, a fielding error and a passed ball loaded the bases before Lemm drew a bases-loaded walk and Schark added a sacrifice fly.
Petrucelli drove in three runs, while Lemm reached base four times with a homer, two walks, and a sac fly. Schark added two hits, scored twice and drove in one, as SIU capitalized on eight free passes and four Murray State errors.
The Salukis were sharp defensively, committing just one error and turning in several timely outs to strand 12 Racer baserunners. Murray State starter Owen Elmy lasted just one-third of an inning, giving up four runs before the bullpen took over.
Game One – Southern Illinois 2, Murray State 3
Despite late-game heroics from seniors Cecil Lofton and John Lemm, Southern Illinois came up just short in extra innings, falling 3-2 to Murray State in the opening game of a Sunday doubleheader.
The Salukis rallied to tie the game with runs in the seventh and eighth, but a walk-off double from Murray State's Jacob Garner in the bottom of the 10th lifted the Racers to a series-clinching victory.
Senior right-hander Jackson Payne gave the Salukis a strong start, tossing 5.1 innings and allowing two earned runs on five hits while striking out three. The SIU bullpen kept the Racers off the board through the ninth, with junior lefty Gavan Wernsing throwing two shutout innings. Junior right-hander Sam Frizzi took the loss despite striking out three in the final inning-plus.
Offensively, the Salukis were led by Lofton, who went 2-for-4 and delivered a game-tying RBI triple with two outs in the eighth. One inning earlier, Lemm launched a solo home run to get SIU on the board.
Southern threatened again in the ninth when redshirt junior Tim Simay led off with a double, but a lineout and double play ended the threat.
Murray State starter Diego Silva worked 7.2 innings and gave up both Saluki runs before handing the ball to Cade Kelham, who earned the win with 2.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Garner delivered the decisive blow with a one-out double in the 10th to score Seth Mercer from first base.
Senior Jaxon Holder helped set the table in the eighth inning after being hit by a pitch and stealing second base before scoring on Lofton's triple.
UP NEXT
The Salukis return to action on Wednesday with a trip to Edwardsville to take on SIUE. The first pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT.
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.
Game Two – Southern Illinois 11, Murray State 0
Southern Illinois stormed out of the gates and never looked back, belting three home runs and getting a dominant outing from left-hander Al Holguin to rout Murray State, 11-0, in eight innings Sunday at Johnny Reagan Field.
Holguin was lights-out from the start. The senior southpaw fired six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out six and working around four walks. He threw 102 pitches in the win to improve to 3-0 on the season. Tanner Gerdes and Blaine Harpenau each tossed a scoreless frame to complete the combined shutout.
The Saluki offense provided an immediate cushion in the first inning. Junior Jordan Bach set the tone with a leadoff solo home run – his second leadoff home run of the weekend and his ninth of the year. Later in the frame, second baseman Gabe Petrucelli launched a three-run shot -- his ninth of the year -- to stake SIU to a 4-0 lead. John Lemm added a solo blast in the second, and Southern's bats weren't finished.
After a quiet stretch in the middle innings, the Salukis exploded for four more runs in the seventh. Following a pair of walks, senior Cecil Lofton turned on a 1-1 pitch and drilled a three-run home run to right, giving SIU an 8-0 cushion. Lofton finished with three RBIs, his second straight game with a homer. A fielding error later in the inning allowed Matt Schark to score an unearned run.
Southern tacked on two more in the eighth without a hit. A walk, a fielding error and a passed ball loaded the bases before Lemm drew a bases-loaded walk and Schark added a sacrifice fly.
Petrucelli drove in three runs, while Lemm reached base four times with a homer, two walks, and a sac fly. Schark added two hits, scored twice and drove in one, as SIU capitalized on eight free passes and four Murray State errors.
The Salukis were sharp defensively, committing just one error and turning in several timely outs to strand 12 Racer baserunners. Murray State starter Owen Elmy lasted just one-third of an inning, giving up four runs before the bullpen took over.
Game One – Southern Illinois 2, Murray State 3
Despite late-game heroics from seniors Cecil Lofton and John Lemm, Southern Illinois came up just short in extra innings, falling 3-2 to Murray State in the opening game of a Sunday doubleheader.
The Salukis rallied to tie the game with runs in the seventh and eighth, but a walk-off double from Murray State's Jacob Garner in the bottom of the 10th lifted the Racers to a series-clinching victory.
Senior right-hander Jackson Payne gave the Salukis a strong start, tossing 5.1 innings and allowing two earned runs on five hits while striking out three. The SIU bullpen kept the Racers off the board through the ninth, with junior lefty Gavan Wernsing throwing two shutout innings. Junior right-hander Sam Frizzi took the loss despite striking out three in the final inning-plus.
Offensively, the Salukis were led by Lofton, who went 2-for-4 and delivered a game-tying RBI triple with two outs in the eighth. One inning earlier, Lemm launched a solo home run to get SIU on the board.
Southern threatened again in the ninth when redshirt junior Tim Simay led off with a double, but a lineout and double play ended the threat.
Murray State starter Diego Silva worked 7.2 innings and gave up both Saluki runs before handing the ball to Cade Kelham, who earned the win with 2.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Garner delivered the decisive blow with a one-out double in the 10th to score Seth Mercer from first base.
Senior Jaxon Holder helped set the table in the eighth inning after being hit by a pitch and stealing second base before scoring on Lofton's triple.
UP NEXT
The Salukis return to action on Wednesday with a trip to Edwardsville to take on SIUE. The first pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT.
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: Kelham, Graham (2-0)
L: Frizzi, Sam (3-3)
Batting:
2B: Simay, Tim 1
3B: Lofton, Cecil 1
HR: Lemm, John 1
RBI: Lofton, Cecil 1 ; Lemm, John 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lemm, John 1 ; Holder, Jaxon 1
SB: Holder, Jaxon 1
HBP: Bach, Jordan 1 ; Holder, Jaxon 1
Batting:
2B: Garner, Carson 1
RBI: Garner, Carson 1 ; Mistone, Luke 1 ; Grabowski, Brady 1
SF: Grabowski, Brady 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Mercer, Dustin 1 ; Decker, Dom 1 ; Mistone, Luke 1
SB: Decker, Dom 1
HBP: Hogart, Jonathan 1 ; Vierling, Will 1
PO: Vierling, Will 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C/OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF/INF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball9.7.25 | Saluki Radio Postgame Purdue- Vinson Davis and Andrew Behm
Sunday, September 07
9.7.25 | Saluki Radio Postgame Purdue - Nick Hill
Sunday, September 07
Saluki Football Broadcast Purdue
Sunday, September 07
9.5.25 | Saluki Radio Preview - Purdue
Friday, September 05