March 18, 2005

Final Stats

By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Tyler Norrick posted a career-high seven strikeouts in four shutout innings, and Nathan Emrick's three hits led four Salukis with multiple-hit performances, as Southern Illinois (12-7) beat Western Michigan (3-7), 8-1, earlier today at Abe Martin Field.

In his second start of the season, Norrick dominated early, where he allowed only three hits and one walk to go along with his seven Ks. A left-hander out of Festus, Mo., he also extended his scoreless inning streak to eight frames.

Meanwhile, WMU starter Mark Rasmussen struggled against a tough Saluki offense, which registered 13 hits. SIU also posted a minimum of two hits and one run in six innings.

SIU took a 2-0 lead in the second, as Grant Gerrard doubled and Emrick singled. Erik Alvarez followed with a sacrifice fly, and Gerrard scored. Hunter Harrigan's two-out double to left plated Emrick to cap the surge.

After pushing across one run in the third, fourth and sixth innings, SIU held a 5-0 advantage, before WMU came away with an unearned run in the seventh to escape the shutout.

R.C. Dickerson, who drew a lead off walk and went to third with the help of an error, scored the Broncos' only tally on Adam Rosales' sacrifice fly to right.

SIU would then answer with another run in the bottom of the seventh and two more in the eighth to ice the 8-1 win.

P.J. Finigan's one-out single to left knocked in Kevin Koski in the seventh, while Alvarez and Harrigan each had RBIs in the eighth.

Alvarez's double drove in Emrick and Harrigan's ground ball out to Bronco reliever Brian Kross scored Alvarez.

Due to the fact his pitch count was high, Norrick was relieved by Ryan Welch (1-0) in the fifth, who struck out two in three innings to earn his first 2005 win.

Rasmussen (1-2) scattered 11 hits, gave up six runs and struck out three in 6.1 innings.

SIU, who registered double-digit hits for the 11th time this season, out-hit WMU, 13-6.

Emrick finished the day at 3-for-4 with three runs scored and a pair of stolen bases, as he extended his hitting streak to four games.

Finigan, Alvarez and Harrigan followed with two hits each.

Six Broncos each had one hit for WMU, who left 11 men on base.

Additionally, today's game marked the first meeting between SIU and WMU since 1967.

The Salukis and Broncos resume their series tomorrow at 1 p.m. Finigan (2-1) will start on the mound for the Dawgs.