FROM CBB NEWS SOURCES
Southern Illinois 17 Murray State 4
CARBONDALE, Ill. – Dean Cademartori narrowly missed hitting for the cycle when he went 4-for-5 with two singles, a double, home run, two runs scored and a career-high five RBI to lead Southern Illinois University (18-11) to a 17-4 win over Murray State (11-14) earlier today at Abe Martin Field.
SIU set new season-highs with 17 runs and 22 hits on the day. SIU last had 17 runs and 22 hits in a game at Florida Atlantic on Feb. 12, 2006.
“I was pleased with the way we swung it today,” said Saluki head coach Dan Callahan. “We got on them early and never let up. We played strong for nine innings.”
SIU put up four runs in the first, third, fifth and seventh innings to beat down the Thoroughbreds.
SIU’s first three hitters reached base and scored in the first. Chris Murphy led off with a single to center and moved to second on a bunt single by Scott Elmendorf. Adam Hills walked to load the bases. Two hitters later, Tyler Bullock delivered a two-RBI single to right. Cademartori followed with a double to score Hills. Bullock scored on the same play with the help of an error.
The Salukis batted around and loaded the bases for the second time in the third. Cademartori singled up the middle, went to third on a double by Chris Crank and touched home on Chris Murphy’s base hit. Elmendorf (1) and Mark Kelly (2) combined to knock in three more runs on two-out hits to push SIU’s lead to 8-1.
SIU added four more runs with two outs in the fifth. Chase Sanford started the inning by reaching on an error. Kelly followed with a single and Sanford scored. Bullock recorded the third-straight hit of the inning, before Cademartori blasted a three-run homer over the left field wall to give SIU a 13-3 advantage.
The Salukis, who loaded the bases for the third time in the seventh, added another four runs on six more hits to polish off the dominating 17-4 win.
Freshman lefthander Nick Rice (1-1) picked up the first win of his Saluki career. Rice allowed seven hits and three runs, while striking out three in five innings.
Jake Donze (1-4) suffered the loss for MSU. Donze gave up 10 hits and eight runs in just 2.2 innings. Donze also struck out four and walked two.
Offensively, 10 Salukis hit safely and scored. Along with Cademartori, Kelly also had four hits to lead SIU. He went 4-for-6 with two runs and three RBI. Murphy, Elmendorf, Ryan Bittle and Bullock followed with two hits each. Murphy, Elmendorf, Sanford, Kelly, Bullock, Cademartori and Crank all scored twice, as well.
SIU has erupted for a combined 73 hits (14.6 avg) in its last five games.
The Thoroughbreds had 11 hits, with Cory Hodskins going a perfect 4-for-4 with two RBI. MSU also had three errors which led to six unearned runs.
SIU, which won its fifth game in a row, travels across the Mississippi River to face SE Missouri State Tuesday at 3 p.m., CST. Tuesday’s game marks the Salukis’ fifth in as many days.
Illinois 18 Indiana 8
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Illini first baseman Ryan Hastings recorded his first career five-hit game and catcher Aaron Johnson drove in five runs as Illinois came back from a three-run deficit to blow out Indiana, 18-8, and win their second Big Ten series. Hastings was 5-for-6 on the day, Johnson went 3-for-6 with five RBIs and three runs, and shortstop Brandon Wikoff was 3-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs.
“We swung the bats very well,” Illinois coach Dan Hartleb said. “Hastings and Johnson are a couple of guys who were able to find their stroke today and that will only give us a stronger lineup.”
Indiana jumped on top in the first inning, scoring three runs on three hits and three walks, as Illinois starter Aaron Martin nearly doubled his season walks allowed total in one frame. Illinois got a run back in the second, though, as third baseman Dominic Altobelli walked and advanced to third on Hastings’ base hit through the right side. Altobelli came across when DH Daniel Webb hit into a double play to cut the margin to 3-1.
Illinois pulled closer in the third when Altobelli knocked a two-out single through the left side and came home when Hastings ripped a double over the right-fielder’s head, making the score 3-2 in Indiana’s favor.
The Fighting Illini then exploded with nine runs on six hits in the fourth inning. Johnson reached on a throw in the dirt by the shortstop and right fielder Craig Lutes walked. Johnson then moved up a base on left fielder Casey McMurray’s flyout to right-center. Center fielder Kyle Hudson followed drove in Johnson with a base hit and second baseman Joe Bonadonna knocked in Lutes with a single to left-center. Hudson scored on a wild pitch and Bonadonna came home on Wikoff’s single. One out later, Hastings reached on a bloop base hit to center and Wikoff scored when the center fielder mishandled it. Webb drew a walk, then he and Hastings moved up a base before Johnson singled to left-center, driving in both runners. Lutes walked and McMurray ripped a double to left-center to plate Johnson as Illinois took an 11-3 lead.
Indiana got two runs back in the fourth after a hit batter, a walk and a double, making the Illini lead 11-5. Illinois tacked on an insurance run in the seventh when McMurray reached on an erorr but was put out on Hudson’s grounder to second. Hudson moved to third on Bonadonna’s single and came home on Wikoff’s sacrifice fly to right-center, pushing the Illini lead to 12-5.
The Hoosiers scored three in the seventh on three hits, two hit batters and a walk as Martin was lifted in favor of reliever Mike Sterk, who struck out Indiana second baseman Evan Crawford and got Hoosier slugger Josh Phegley to line out softly to Bonadonna to end the inning with the Illini leading, 12-8.
With one out, Hudson reached on an error and stole second. Bonadonna walked and advanced to second on a double-steal when Hudson was caught stealing at third. Wikoff drove in Bonadonna with a single and moved to second on Altobelli’s walk. Hastings singled to center to drive in Wikoff then Webb reached on an infield hit to second base. Crawford gloved the grounder but his flip to the bag was well over shortstop Tyler Rogers’ glove, allowing Altobelli to score. With runners on first and second, Johnson jumped on a first-pitch fastball for his first career home run, a three-run shot, to give the Illini an 18-8 lead. Freshman Phil Haig came in to pitch the ninth and struck out the side after giving up two hits to start the inning.
On the weekend, Wikoff and Hastings each hit .467 with Wikoff driving in a team-high seven runs and scoring four, while Hastings doubled, drove in three and scored three. Hudson hit .412 with a team-best six runs and stole 6-of-8 bases, Johnson hit .444 with five RBIs and Webb hit .400 with two RBIs.
Up Next: Illinois plays its fifth game in four days Tuesday when it travels to O’Brien Field in Peoria to face Bradley in a 6 p.m. start. Sophomore Billy Barrett will take the hill for the Illini.
