Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois University secured a 16-12 victory over Southern Indiana in their home opener at Itchy Jones Stadium. The game saw the Salukis rally from a 6-0 deficit, with two significant innings leading to their win.

The match began slowly for Southern Illinois (5-3), who failed to score until the sixth inning due to strong pitching by USI's Andres Gonzalez. The Screaming Eagles supported Gonzalez with one run in the fourth and five more in the sixth, establishing a 6-0 lead.

In response, Southern Illinois scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Jordan Bach initiated the comeback with a double, followed by Michael Mylott's first homer of the season. Further contributions from Mason Schwalbach and Gabe Petrucelli helped close the gap.

Southern Indiana (6-3) added two runs in the seventh inning, but SIU reduced the lead to 8-6 after Mylott scored on an error. The Salukis then dominated in the eighth inning with ten runs on four hits and several walks, taking control of the game.

Key players for SIU included Mylott and Jaxon Holder, each contributing three RBIs. Jordan Huskey started on the mound for SIU, striking out four batters over five innings. Dylan Petrey claimed his first win from relief duties.

For USI, Clayton Slack had a standout performance with three hits and two RBIs. Cole Kitchens also drove in three runs for his team.

Southern Illinois will next face Bowling Green on March 1 at noon, followed by another game between Bowling Green and Southern Indiana at 4 p.m.

Fans can follow updates about SIU baseball via social media platforms or through their mobile app available on major app stores.