Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Saturday, May 16
2 PM
Southern Illinois University
22-30, 13-10
13
vs
3
Valparaiso
12-37, 5-18
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valparaiso | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 3 |
| Southern Ill. | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 14 | 1 |
Tim Simay smacks a single during Southern Illinois' 13-3 win over Valparaiso Saturday, May 16, 2026, at Itchy Jones Stadium in Carbondale, Ill.
Photo by: Saluki Athletic Communications
Southern Celebrates Senior Day With 13-3 Win in Eight, Faces No. 5 Evansville Wednesday Morning
05/16/2026 | 6:24:00 | Baseball
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Michael Mylott had a home run with three hits as Southern Illinois defeated Valparaiso 13-3 in eight innings to win the series on Senior Day. With the win, SIU earns the fourth seed in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament and will take on No. 5 Evansville to open play Wednesday, May 20. The Salukis finish the regular season at 23-30 and 14-10 in the MVC.
Saturday's game began with an entertaining first, with Thomas Cooper and Michael Mylott tallying two-run doubles for their respective teams. SIU would add on, however, as a Valpo throwing error and a sacrifice fly from Gabe Petrucelli gave it a 4-2 lead after one.
Mylott continued his hot start to the day with a no-doubt solo home run in the third, his third of the season. The big fly began another rally for Southern, who added four more runs in the frame thanks to RBIs from Tim Simay, Petrucelli, Mason Schwalbach and Kristian Sprawling.
Gavan Wernsing gave Southern a huge lift with 3.1 scoreless out of the bullpen, allowing the Salukis to hold a steady 9-2 lead after three and set them up to potentially end the game early.
Both teams were held scoreless in the middle innings as the bullpens held serve. Valpo scored an unearned run in the top of the seventh, but Tim Simay immediately responded with an RBI single.
Needing three runs to end the game in the bottom of the eighth, Kyle Mager ripped a pinch-hit two-run double over the center fielder's head to put the winning run at second with one away. Bryce Habuda moved Mager to third with a single, and a high chopper from Tim Simay gave Mager enough to come across and score the winning run and hand SIU the 13-3 mercy-rule win in eight innings.
Mylott and Simay had three RBI each for Southern, while Kristian Sprawling grew his reached-base streak to 20 games.
Charlie Miller, Dawson Hargrove and Matt Irvine followed Wernsing (W, 1-1) with four scoreless innings to end the game.
UP NEXT
The Salukis begin preparations for the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, where they will begin play against No. 5 Evansville Wednesday, May 20. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.
FOLLOW THE SALUKIS
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Salukis by following the team on Twitter 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.
Saturday's game began with an entertaining first, with Thomas Cooper and Michael Mylott tallying two-run doubles for their respective teams. SIU would add on, however, as a Valpo throwing error and a sacrifice fly from Gabe Petrucelli gave it a 4-2 lead after one.
Mylott continued his hot start to the day with a no-doubt solo home run in the third, his third of the season. The big fly began another rally for Southern, who added four more runs in the frame thanks to RBIs from Tim Simay, Petrucelli, Mason Schwalbach and Kristian Sprawling.
Gavan Wernsing gave Southern a huge lift with 3.1 scoreless out of the bullpen, allowing the Salukis to hold a steady 9-2 lead after three and set them up to potentially end the game early.
Both teams were held scoreless in the middle innings as the bullpens held serve. Valpo scored an unearned run in the top of the seventh, but Tim Simay immediately responded with an RBI single.
Needing three runs to end the game in the bottom of the eighth, Kyle Mager ripped a pinch-hit two-run double over the center fielder's head to put the winning run at second with one away. Bryce Habuda moved Mager to third with a single, and a high chopper from Tim Simay gave Mager enough to come across and score the winning run and hand SIU the 13-3 mercy-rule win in eight innings.
Mylott and Simay had three RBI each for Southern, while Kristian Sprawling grew his reached-base streak to 20 games.
Charlie Miller, Dawson Hargrove and Matt Irvine followed Wernsing (W, 1-1) with four scoreless innings to end the game.
UP NEXT
The Salukis begin preparations for the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, where they will begin play against No. 5 Evansville Wednesday, May 20. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.
FOLLOW THE SALUKIS
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Salukis by following the team on Twitter 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: Wernsing, Gavan (1-1)
L: Nick Baffa (3-5)
Batting:
2B: T. Cooper 1
RBI: T. Cooper 2 ; C. Schembra 1
Base Running:
RUNS: M. Kuska 1 ; E. Riley 1 ; T. Cooper 1
HBP: A. Amburgey 1
Batting:
2B: Sprawling, Kristian 1 ; Mylott, Michael 1 ; Mager, Kyle 1 ; Lofton, Cecil 1
HR: Mylott, Michael 1
RBI: Sprawling, Kristian 1 ; Mylott, Michael 3 ; Mager, Kyle 2 ; Simay, Tim 3 ; Petrucelli, Gabe 2 ; Schwalbach, Mason 1
SF: Petrucelli, Gabe 1 ; Schwalbach, Mason 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sprawling, Kristian 1 ; Watson, Kye 1 ; Hall, Kaleb 1 ; Mylott, Michael 2 ; Dibble, Jackson 1 ; McKenzie, Jacob 2 ; Mager, Kyle 1 ; Habuda, Bryce 1 ; Simay, Tim 1 ; Petrucelli, Gabe 1 ; Flores, Jaden 1
SB: Petrucelli, Gabe 1 ; Flores, Jaden 1
HBP: Watson, Kye 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
3
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
INF
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RHP
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RHP
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INF
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RHP
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OF/INF
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INF
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C/INF
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INF
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OF
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LHP
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