Salukis Rally Falls Short in 9–8 Loss at Queens

Saturday, February 21

Charlotte, NC

5 PM

Southern Illinois University

1-4

Queens (NC)

3-3

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS

Queens

Julio Guerrero

Photo by: Austin Slough, Queens (N.C.) Athletic Communications

02/21/2026 | 10:50:00 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Aaron Price

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Southern Illinois erased an early deficit and briefly took the lead late, but Queens answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth to hand the Salukis a 9-8 loss Saturday evening.

Queens jumped out in front in the opening inning on a two-run home run from Mitchell Basterrechea before SIU responded in the fourth. Tim Simay lifted a sacrifice fly to center to plate Kaleb Hall, and Kristian Sprawling followed with a two-run home run to left to put the Salukis in front 3-2.

The Royals regained the lead with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings, including a solo homer from Gage Doss in the sixth to make it 5-3.

SIU chipped away in the seventh when Jacob McKenzie launched a solo shot to left, then broke through with a four-run eighth inning to move back in front. Hall drove in a run with a sacrifice fly before Simay worked a bases-loaded walk to bring home another. Sprawling followed with an RBI single to tie the game, and the go-ahead run later scored on a passed ball as the Salukis took an 8-5 lead into the bottom half of the inning.

Queens answered immediately, however, as Ryan Brown and Thomas Mathay each connected for solo home runs in the eighth to pull the Royals within one.

In the ninth, the Royals loaded the bases before Kendall McDowell lifted a sacrifice fly to right to tie the game. Brown then followed with another sacrifice fly to center to bring home the winning run.

SIU finished with 13 hits on the night. McKenzie led the way with three hits and a home run, while Sprawling drove in three runs with a homer and a single. Hall added two hits and an RBI.

Troy Shepard struck out nine over 4.2 innings in the start for the Salukis. Dylan Petrey (0-2) was charged with the loss after allowing the winning run in the ninth.

UP NEXT
Southern Illinois, now 1-4 on the young season, is scheduled to conclude their visit to North Carolina on Sunday as they take on Appalachian State.

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