BOONEVILLE, Mississippi — Baseball Saluki got one of its best outings of the season on the mound in a 4-2 series finale win over Illinois on Sunday afternoon.
Senior Tanner Lewis pitched a season-high 6.1 innings and allowed the Fighting Illini just two runs in the win. The southpaw allowed just two runs in the game – a two-run homer in the fourth – but was able to let his defense work behind him as the Illini could only score in one inning on seven hits against him .
Saluki’s defense was solid on the court, making no mistakes against Illinois while making a season-high four double plays.
After a first double in the fourth, Jacob Schroeder would put the game’s first points on the board with a home run to the top left to make it 2-0.
SIU (9-12) scored three runs in the sixth inning on three hits. Nathan Bandy got things started in the inning with a first walk before Pier-Olivier Boucher hit a double to right field that would score Bandy from first.
Southern landed an RBI single from Ryan Rodriguez before Kaeber Rog tripled to right center to cap the three-point frame.
The Salukis continued to get good pitches from the bullpen as Jake Combs came in with two ones and one out in the sixth. The right-hander would break out of the jam by inducing a 3-5 double play to end the threat. Combs pitched two full innings and struck out three before Paul Bonzagni entered with two in the ninth and closed out the win to earn the stoppage.
Rog led in two of SIU’s runs while Cole Christman and Rodriguez had two hits to lead Southern. Cal Hejza led the Illini with a 2-for-4 day at the plate.
Jack Wenninger took the loss for Illinois after giving the go-ahead in the sixth. The right-hander was strong on the mound for 5.1 innings as he struck out 10 Salukis on strikeouts, allowing just three hits.
FOLLOWING
Southern returns to Itchy Jones Stadium for the first of five straight years at home when Western Illinois comes to town for a midweek game Tuesday at 6 p.m.
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