Ninth-Inning Surge Lifts Southern to Walk-Off Win over Jackrabbits

Sunday, March 8

10 AM

Southern Illinois University

6-8

South Dakota State

5-10

South Dakota St.

Southern Ill.

Southern Illinois baseball celebrates a 5-4 walk-off victory over South Dakota State Sunday, March 8, 2026 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn.

Photo by: Abby Harris

Ninth-Inning Surge Lifts Southern to Walk-Off Win over Jackrabbits

03/08/2026 | 8:29:00 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Jordan Kruse, SIUSalukis.com

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Southern Illinois was down 4-3 entering the bottom of the night, but a flurry of productive at-bats capped by a bases-loaded walk from Jaden Flores gave Southern a 5-4 win over South Dakota State Sunday in the Cambria Classic at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn.

The Salukis finished with 14 hits in the game, tied for their highest total of the season. Mason Schwalbach led with three hits, while Kye Watson, Cecil Lofton, Tim Simay, and Gabe Petrucelli each tallied a pair.

Jack MacIntosh continued his strong start out of the bullpen, throwing 3.2 shutout innings and earning the victory.

Speedster Julio Guerrero got the day started for SIU with an infield single in the bottom of the first, plating Henry Kufa.

From that point on, SDSU's Jack Novotny was lights out, holding the Dawgs scoreless over his next five innings pitched. SIU would threaten, but could not cash in despite constant traffic on the basepaths.

Troy Shepard took the ball for Southern and provided a steady outing to keep the Salukis within striking distance. The lefty from Coeur d' Alene, Idaho, threw 5.1 innings and allowed four runs, three unearned. He struck out five and allowed just one walk. He was lifted with runners on first and second and one out in the top of the sixth. South Dakota State made it a 4-1 game, but MacIntosh held serve.

After Novotny was taken out of the game, Southern immediately jumped on SDSU's bullpen. Watson and Kufa hit back-to-back doubles to begin the seventh and brought SIU within two.

Petrucelli's return to the lineup was a welcome sight, as he clobbered a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth as the deficit was brought down to just one.

The bottom of the ninth was owned by the Saluki lineup. A leadoff double from Lofton and a single from Simay set the table for Julio Guerrero to tie the game with a deep sacrifice fly. The Jackrabbits walked Petrucelli only for Kristian Sprawling to rope a single to left, loading the bases for Mason Schwalbach. Playing the matchup, SDSU brought in lefty Avon Barney, who was able to induce a pop out and bring up Jaden Flores with two outs. The Dallas native walked on five pitches and brought in pinch-runner Matthew Simay to give SIU the victory.

MacIntosh (2-1) earned his second victory of the season as the Salukis improved to 6-8 overall.

UP NEXT
Southern Illinois has a midweek date with SIUE set for Tuesday at 4 p.m.

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