March 10, 2005

Final Stats|Photo Gallery

March 10, 2005

By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo.-Left-hander Derek Herbig struck out three and allowed two hits in five and two-thirds innings to help lead Southeast Missouri State (5-7) to a 7-3 win over Southern Illinois (7-6) earlier today at Capaha Field.

Herbig gave up an infield single to the Salukis' first hitter of the game, Kevin Koski, but after that, he retired 14 of SIU's next 15 hitters between the first and fifth innings.

While Herbig was cruising on the mound, SEMO's offense gave him a sizeable lead in the middle innings when they scored four runs in the fourth and three in the fifth.

Levi Olson and Bryan Kurt hit back-to-back singles, and Horstman was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Shortly after that, Freddy Lopez hit a two-RBI single to score Olson and Kurt.

A two-base error on the next play enabled Horstman to score and Lopez to go to third. Lopez touched home on an ensuing sacrifice fly by Jordan Payne to cap a 4-0 lead for the Redhawks.

Two extra-base hits, including a one-out RBI-double by Olson and a two-out run scoring triple by Horstman fueled SEMO's three-run fifth.

Working with a 7-0 lead, Herbig ran into trouble in the bottom of the sixth, where he walked both Erik Alvarez and P.J. Finigan to give the Dawgs runners at first and second with two away.

Immediately after Finigan's free ticket, Herbig was relieved by Joey Evans, whose first offering to Matt Brewer was a wild pitch.

Thanks to Evans' pitch in the dirt, Alvarez went to third and Finigan advanced to second, before each scored on Brewer's eighth double of the season, which found the gap in right center.

Another double, this time by Grant Gerrard, followed to knock in Brewer, and just like that, the Salukis were in the game, trailing, 7-3.

SIU, however, only came away with two more hits and couldn't score in the final three innings against SEMO's bullpen.

Left-hander Bryan Rueger (2-1) suffered the loss in his first midweek start this season. He scattered eight hits and allowed seven runs in 4.2 innings. Prior to today, Rueger made four starts as part of the Dawgs' weekend rotation.

Offensively, Gerrard and Koski each went 2-for-4 to lead SIU. Gerrard, who leads the MVC in both home runs and RBI, has hit safely in 12 of 13 games this season.

Brewer and Alvarez followed with one hit apiece to round out the Salukis' six hits.

SIU also had nine baserunners on the day, and four were left on.

Montiel and Olson each had two hits to top the Redhawks, who moved to 3-0 in midweek games this season.

SIU returns home to host Chicago State in a three-game series, beginning Friday at 2 p.m. The Salukis and Cougars also play at 1 p.m., on Saturday and Sunday.