Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois University's baseball team secured its fifth consecutive victory by defeating Bowling Green 4-1 at Itchy Jones Stadium. The Salukis, now with a record of 6-3, were led by pitchers Alec Nigut and Gavan Wernsing, who limited the Falcons to five hits.

Alec Nigut started strong for the Salukis, achieving four strikeouts and allowing only one walk over two innings. Bowling Green initially took the lead in the third inning when DJ Newman grounded out to bring in a runner from third base after a single and hit-by-pitch set up scoring opportunities.

The Salukis responded in the fourth inning with Kristian Sprawling's sacrifice fly driving in Matt Schark. In the sixth inning, Schark doubled, advanced on a balk, and scored on a wild pitch to give Southern Illinois its first lead.

Nigut and Wernsing maintained control throughout the game. Gabe Petrucelli and John Lemm added two more runs with back-to-back home runs in the eighth inning, extending their lead to 4-1.

Nigut's performance improved his season record to 3-0 following his seven-inning appearance where he allowed one earned run. Bowling Green's starting pitcher Landon Willeman completed five innings, giving up two hits and one run while striking out four batters but ended with no decision. Carrson Sova was charged with the loss after conceding the decisive run in the sixth.

Looking ahead, Southern Illinois will host a doubleheader at Itchy Jones Stadium against Bowling Green at noon followed by Southern Indiana at 4 p.m. Fans can stay updated on team news via social media platforms such as X (@SIU_Baseball), Facebook (Facebook.com/SalukiBaseball), Instagram (@SIU_Baseball), or through the "Salukis" Mobile App available on both iOS and Android devices.