Dawgs Storm Out of the Gates in 10-7 Victory over USI

Friday, March 13

6 PM

Southern Illinois University

7-9

Southern Indiana

12-6

Southern Indiana

Southern Ill.

Jack MacIntosh fires a pitch during his two-inning save in SIU's 10-7 win over Southern Indiana Friday night at Itchy Jones Stadium in Carbondale, Ill.

Photo by: Jordan Kruse

03/13/2026 | 9:02:00 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Jordan Kruse, SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois tallied seven runs in the first two innings en route to a 10-7 win over Southern Indiana Friday night at Itchy Jones Stadium.

The Salukis wasted zero time making life difficult for USI starter Eben Hansen (L, 1-1). Cecil Lofton started things off with an RBI double, then Julio Guerrero followed suit with an RBI base knock. After Jackson Dibble was hit by a pitch, the bases became loaded, and Mason Schwalbach moved the Salukis station to station to cash another run in. Jaden Flores was responsible for the final first-inning tally, drawing a bases-loaded walk to give Southern five runs and force Hansen from the game before he could complete an inning.

Gabe Petrucelli began his season-best night with a two-run double to right center field, plating Guererro and Tim Simay as the Dawgs went up 7-0 after two.

The deficit was more than enough for SIU starter and recently named Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week Andrew Evans (W, 3-1). The Kansas State transfer collected his third quality start of the season, pitching six innings while allowing three runs on six hits, five strikeouts and two walks. Evans powered through a bump in the road in the third and fourth innings, where the Screaming Eagles scored three runs, capped by a solo homer from catcher Micajah Wall, the first big fly Evans has given up this season.

USI's pitching would settle in, but Guerrero and Petrucelli gave SIU three more runs on a two-run homer in the fourth, and a solo shot in the sixth to put the Salukis up 10-3 heading into the final three frames. Guerrero's homer was his first in a Saluki uniform. Little did the duo know how important their runs would be.

Southern's bullpen encountered a hiccup in the seventh, as two bases-loaded walks, a run-scoring wild pitch and a single gave USI life. With the bases loaded and the go-ahead run at the plate, Josh Hyneman picked up a key strikeout, ending the inning and keeping the deficit at three.

Head Coach Lance Rhodes turned to closer Jack MacIntosh to close the final two innings, and the British Columbia native never let the tying run come to the plate as he earned his second save of the season. He credited support from his teammates in a conversation with Saluki Radio's Luke Martin after the game.

"Especially tonight, I was able to hear the guys out there when I was on the bump," he said. "It's so nice to just hear all the excitement, all the energy, 'cause I really feed off it."

Guerrero, Petrucelli, and Simay each had three hits for the Dawgs, with Guerrero and Petrucelli each knocking in three runs.

UP NEXT
Due to impending weather on Sunday, March 15, SIU will now play Southern Indiana in a doubleheader beginning Saturday at 1 p.m.

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