Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois University's baseball team secured a decisive 10-0 victory over UT Martin on Wednesday night at Itchy Jones Stadium, achieving a midweek series sweep. Senior infielder Matt Schark initiated the scoring with a solo home run in the first inning. The Salukis, now 17-7 for the season, continued to build their lead in subsequent innings.

In the third inning, John Lemm hit an RBI single that brought Gabe Petrucelli home, extending SIU's lead to 2-0. The fourth inning saw Schark contributing further with a two-run single as Southern Illinois increased its advantage to 4-0.

The most significant moment came in the fifth inning when Jaxon Holder hit his third home run of the season—a grand slam—that expanded SIU's lead to 8-0. Tate Lewis added two more runs in the sixth with a pinch-hit single.

Al Holguin delivered an impressive performance from the mound, pitching four scoreless innings and striking out eight batters while allowing only two hits. Matt Irvine and Tanner Gerdes provided strong relief efforts to complete the shutout.

Offensively, Southern Illinois was efficient with ten runs scored on eight hits and six walks. Schark went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, while Holder's grand slam stood out as a highlight. Lemm also had a productive game with two hits and an RBI.

UT Martin struggled against SIU's pitching staff, managing only four hits throughout the game. Their starter Wager took the loss after conceding one run over two innings.

The Salukis will next face Bradley in a three-game series starting Friday, which will be available for streaming on ESPN Plus.

For updates on Southern Illinois University baseball, fans can follow them on social media platforms or download their mobile app.