FROM PRESS RELEASES
Dallas Baptist 11 Northern Illinois 8
DALLAS, Texas – Northern Illinois and Dallas Baptists combined for 19 runs and 23 hits Thursday night before the home team prevailed 11-8 at Patriot Field. The Huskies (3-9) held a 7-5 advantage before the Patriots (10-4), who received votes in this week’s National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll, mounted a comeback keyed by a five-run seventh inning.
“We had a chance to win the game, but unfortunately our pitching didn’t get us through tonight,” said head coach Ed Mathey. “We faced another very good ballclub and they threw some good arms at us. I thought we played hard and offensively we had a good approach and got some two-out hits. Matt Jernstad battled but got behind and threw a lot of pitches. That forced us to our bullpen and they gave up five runs and that was the difference in the game.”
NIU got on the board early with a pair of runs in the top of the first on a RBI triple by Jordin Hood (Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Crystal Lake) and a RBI single by Dave Reynolds (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg).
Ahead 2-1 in the top of the second, the Huskies added a pair of runs to extend their lead to three. Brian Smith (Chicago Ridge, Ill./Richards) belted a solo home run, his first of the season, and Pat Minogue (Crystal Lake, Ill./Central) manufactured a run by reaching on a single, stealing second and advancing to third on a fly out before scoring on a single by Jeff Thomas (Loves Park, Ill./Harlem).
A two-run home run by Jason Krizan gave the Patriots their first lead of the game at 5-4 in the fourth.
NIU knotted the game at five in the fourth when Tim Kamin (Oak Lawn, Ill./Richards) scored on an error. One inning later, the Huskies reclaimed the lead behind a sacrifice fly by Justin Behm (Downers Grove, Ill./North) and a wild pitch that allowed Danny Reed (Lindstrom, Minn./North Iowa Area CC) to score from third to make it a 7-5 NIU advantage.
Behm doubled home Reed in the seventh to give the Huskies an 8-6 lead before Dallas Baptist answered in the bottom half of the frame by scoring five runs on four hits and one error in the seventh to take the lead for good.
NIU had one last chance in the ninth and put a pair of runners on base before the game ended with the tying run at the plate.
Thomas, who extended his hitting streak to 12 games, and Reed, whose hit streak reached 10, joined Bobby Stevens (Chicago, Ill./Guerin Prep) with two hits in the game while Behm led the Huskies with two RBI.
Dave Nykiel (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew) took the loss in relief (0-1). DBU’s Ryan Millard improved to 3-0 with the win before Tyson Bagley notched his fourth save.
The Huskies and Patriots will play game two of their three-game series Friday night at 6:30 p.m.
San Diego 3 Western Illinois 1
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The 21st-ranked University of San Diego baseball team (9-7) claimed a 3-1 win over Western Illinois University (1-8) Thursday afternoon in a non-conference game at USD’s Cunningham Stadium.
The Leathernecks put up one run on two hits in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. WIU’s run came on a Drew Laidig RBI single up the middle, which scored Cole Waddell, who led off the inning with a stand-up double.
San Diego then responded in their half of the inning as they scored two runs on two hits. With two outs, Victor Sanchez got things started with a stand-up double down the left field line. After Josh Romanski walked to move Sanchez to third, Anthony Strazzara then drove in both runners with a two-run double to give USD a 2-1 lead.
San Diego then added an insurance run in the bottom of the third inning. Sean Nicol led off the inning with an infield single and Kevin Muno moved Nicol to second on a infield single. Romanski then drove in Nicol with a RBI single through the right side to put the game at its final of 3-1.
Offensively for the Toreros, Romanski led the way as he went a perfect 2-for-2 with one double and one RBI. Sanchez also looked solid at the plate as he went 2-for-4 with two doubles and Zach Walters was the final USD player to record multiple hits on the day as he went 2-for-4.
Matt Thompson (1-1) picked up his first win in a Torero uniform as he allowed no runs on two hits in 3.1 innings of work. Sophomore All-American AJ Griffin picked up his fourth save of the season, allowing no runs on one hit in 2.0 innings of work. WIU’s Travis Tolsma (0-2) was saddled with the loss for the Leathernecks.
The Toreros will return to action on Saturday as they say Aloha to the mainland and head for the Hawaiian Islands to take on Hawaii – Hilo in a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
Southern Illinois 10 Prairie View A&M 4
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Mark Kelly went 2-for-4 with a run scored, double and three RBI to lead Southern Illinois University (6-6) to a 10-4 win over Prairie View A&M (10-6) earlier today at Nelson Wolff Stadium.
All nine starters got a hit in a balanced offensive effort, which saw SIU collect 13 hits on the day. Eight different Salukis also scored.
“We got the bats going early and never let up,” said Saluki head coach Dan Callahan. “I was proud of our effort and it was nice to see every starter in our lineup get a hit.”
SIU did the most damage in the first four innings, where it piled up nine runs, including three in the second.
Tied, 2-2, the Salukis had the bases loaded with two outs in the bottom of the second when Kelly doubled home three runs.
SIU went on to score two more runs in both the third and fourth innings to take a 9-4 lead.
Tyler Lairson’s double down the left field line knocked in Aaron Roberts and Tyler Choate in the third, while Scott Elmendorf and Kelly came around to score in the fourth.
Elmendorf then delivered a solo home run to put the 10-4 win on ice in the eighth. Elmendorf, the fifth Saluki to homer this year, went yard for the second time in his career.
Adam Curynski (1-0) earned his first career win after allowing four hits and striking out three in four relief innings.
Mark Almaguer (1-1) suffered the loss for the Panthers, giving up 10 hits and nine runs in six innings. Almaguer recorded three strikeouts and walked three on the day, as well.
Kelly, Chris Murphy, Elmendorf and Roberts each had two hits. Hills, Tyler Bullock, Choate, Owen Mackedon and Lairson followed with one apiece.
Five of SIU’s hits went for extra bases. Murphy, Kelly and Lairson doubled, Hills tripled and Elmendorf homered. The Salukis pounded out five extra base hits for the second time in three games.
Prairie View A&M, the 2007 Southwestern Athletic Conference Champions, had 12 hits. Myrio Richard went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and one RBI to lead the Panthers.
Defensively, the Panthers committed three errors, which led to five unearned runs.
SIU opens play in the Irish Classic Friday. The Salukis face Texas-Pan American at 4 p.m., CST. Cody Adams (1-1) will start on the mound. Notre Dame and Buffalo join the Salukis and Broncs in this year’s round robin tournament.
Fresno State 10 Gonzaga 1
FRESNO, Calif.-The Gonzaga University baseball team was held to one hit as the Zags dropped a 10-1 decision to host Fresno State University as part of the 2008 Pepsi/Johnny Quick Classic in Fresno, Calif. Gonzaga is now 2-2 in the six-day tournament.
The Zags (8-7) were held hitless until the sixth inning when Drew Heid recorded a one-out single. The game marked the first time since the opening game of the 2007 campaign that Gonzaga has been held to one hit.
GU starting pitcher Brandon Harmon (1-2) suffered the loss as the senior allowed six runs, four earned, on nine hits over 5.2 frames. CJ McClure earned an appearance out of the Zags’ pen going 2.1 innings allowing four runs, three earned, on three hits. Fresno State (6-9) starter Justin Miller (3-0) was awarded the victory as he allowed one run on one hit over seven innings.
The Zags posted their lone run of the contest in the eighth inning without the help of a hit. Leadoff batter Evan Wells walked to open the inning and advanced to second has Jason Chatwood drew a four-pitch walk. One batter later, Ryan Wiegand reached base on a fielders’ choice before advancing to second on a fielding error by Fresno State’s shortstop that also scored Wells.
Fresno State opened scoring early, posted three runs over the opening two innings. Both runs in the first were unearned due to a GU fielding error. In the second, Jordan Ribera knocked a home run to right field to provide FSU with a 3-0 edge.
Fresno State did not score again until the fifth as it proceeded to score in each frame after that. In the fifth, it posted a run thanks to a solo shot to right by Todd Sandell before using doubles by Danny Muno and Sandell to drive in two runs in the sixth. Fresno State added two more in the seventh on another home run, a two-run long ball to center by Steve Detwiler. Scoring capped in the bottom of the eighth as Fresno State scored on a double by Sandell and a fielding error to capture the 10-1 victory.
Gonzaga provided ample scoring opportunities during the contest, as the Zags’ stranded eight runners on base thanks to seven walks, one hit batter and two Fresno State errors.
The Zags will continue play at the 2008 Pepsi/Johnny Quick Classic Friday as they face New Mexico State University at 2 p.m. Matt Fields is expected to earn the start on the mound for GU.
