CARBONDALE, Illinois – The Huskies clashed in a pitching duel game two against Southern Illinois but couldn't climb out of the three-run deficit after the first inning to fall, 4-2, and cling to a 0-2 series record.
Originally scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday, game two of the three-game series at Itchy Jones Stadium was moved to 12 p.m. due to foreseen inclement weather approaching southern Illinois this evening.
After allowing three runs in the bottom of the first inning, HCU battled SIU's, Mike Hansell, that pitched five shutout innings with five strikeouts before
Luke Bard got the Huskies on the board in the top of the sixth inning scoring on a double to left center by
Lane Sparks after singling up the middle. On the second pitch of the top of the seventh inning, down 3-1,
Tyler LaRue hit a double down the left field line to end Hansell's day on the mound and get replaced by Cole Koonce. On Koonce's third pitch,
Dylan LaRue was hit-by-pitch before
Trevor Roper tallied his second hit of the game with a single up the middle scoring
Tyler LaRue. The Salukis extended the lead back to two-runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to take game two, 4-2.
The Huskies (7-8) were led by
Trevor Roper going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Four Huskies notched a single hit in game two led by Sparks with a double and an RBI.
Tyler LaRue recorded a double and a run while Bard scored a run.
Parker Edwards (1-2) was tagged with the loss pitching 3.2 innings to start the game giving up three earned runs on six hits with a trio of walks and strikeouts.
Baylor Baumann pitched 3.2 innings of relief allowing a lone earned run on two hits with a walk and three strikeouts.
Keevyn Goss and
Ethan Coronel pitched .1 shutout innings of relief to close out game two.
Southern Illinois (9-5) were led by Jake Allgeyer going 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run. Mathiew Vallee went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run. Four Salukis recorded lone hits in game two. Hansell (2-1) earned the win pitching six innings to start the game allowing two earned runs on four hits with five strikeouts. Koonce and Ben Riffe combined for a shutout inning of relief and Anthony Pron notched his second save of the season pitching two shutout innings of relief to close out game two.
The three-game series against Southern Illinois will conclude with the final game, scheduled for Saturday at noon at Itchy Jones Stadium.
Live stats are available at HCUHuskies.com!
