Baseball Splits Doubleheader With Illinois State

May 20, 2005

By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Matt Brewer narrowly missed hitting for the cycle by going 3-for-3 with a single, double, home run and three RBI to help Southern Illinois (36-19, 14-9) salvage a split with Illinois State (26-26, 9-14) earlier today in a doubleheader at Abe Martin Field. ISU won the first game 16-2 in eight innings, but SIU battled back to win the nightcap, 8-6.

SIU trailed ISU, 3-0, after four and a half innings before Brewer started getting the Dawgs back in the game with a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth.

Shortly after ISU starter Kitt Kopach was relieved by Brandon Gale in the sixth, SIU had two runners on with no outs when Brewer doubled down the left field line to tie the game at 3-3. Brewer's double, which marked his team-high 21st of the season, started a streak of three-straight one-out doubles.

Freshman Tyler Lairson followed with a double to left to break the tie, while Kevin Koski also doubled home a run to give the Salukis a 5-3 edge.

SIU extended its lead to 8-3 in the eighth, where Koski knocked in Brewer on an infield single, and P.J. Finigan hit a two-run homer to right center.

The Redbirds answered by loading the bases with one out in the ninth when Mike Kelley reached on an error and both Blake Schoonover and Matt Bolt were hit by a pitch. A two-RBI single by Jay Molina and a run-scoring hit by Ryan Anetsberger followed to pull ISU to within two (8-6).

Shortly after Kris Jenkins popped up to shallow left for the second out, Ryan Welch replaced Saluki starter Bryan Rueger on the mound.

Welch then walked Kevin Konsler, and moments later, Adam Snyder inherited a two-out bases loaded jam. Snyder, however, got Kyle O'Brien to fly out to left to earn his team-leading fifth save of the season.

Rueger (9-3) scattered six hits, gave up six runs, struck out five and walked two in 8.2 innings, as he fell one out shy of pitching his second complete game.

Gale (2-4) was credited with the loss after giving up seven hits and seven runs in three relief innings.

ISU scored four runs in the first and five in the eighth to post a 16-2 win in game one. The loss, which snapped the Salukis' six-game winning streak, marked SIU's worst of the season.

Tyler Norrick (5-3) was roughed up for five hits and seven runs in 3.2 innings. He also struck out three, walked three, hit two batters and threw a wild pitch.

Two walks, two singles, an error and a balk helped ISU build its 3-0 lead in the first.

The Redbirds then held a 11-2 advantage heading into the eighth, where Molina was hit by a pitch to score a run, Anetsberger delivered a three-RBI double and Jenkins had a RBI-single to cap the 16-2 win.

Eric Theisen (6-0) gave up seven hits, allowed two runs and struck out five, as he went the distance for ISU.

ISU outhit SIU, 19-18, on the day. Defensively, SIU committed five errors to ISU's one. Pitching wise, there were a total of 14 hit batsmen, two wild pitches and 14 walks between the two teams.

Koski, who extended his hitting streak to 31 games, went 4-for-6 with two runs scored, a double, triple and three RBI to lead the Salukis. Brewer followed by going 3-for-5 with three runs scored, a double, home run and three RBI.

Nathan Emrick and Finigan also had a good day for the Dawgs.

Emrick went 4-for-9 with a double and a stolen base, while Finigan finished at 3-for-8 with two runs scored, a pair of home runs and four RBI.

Molina went 5-for-8 with three runs, a double and five RBI to top ISU.

SIU and ISU wrap up their three-game series tomorrow at 1 p.m. Finigan (8-2) will take the mound for the Dawgs. Finigan, along with Jason Chavez and Rueger will be honored prior to the game, as the three seniors suit up for their final home game at Abe Martin Field.

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Nathan Emrick

Kevin Koski

P.J. Finigan

Ben Hoffman

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