Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois baseball made a historic statement as they recorded their highest scoring game since 2013, defeating Bradley 25-11 in Peoria on Friday. This victory marked the Salukis' fifth consecutive win and improved their conference record to 3-1.

The game started with Bradley taking an early lead with a two-run double by Mason Breidenbach. However, Southern Illinois quickly bounced back with a five-run second inning, including RBIs from Cecil Lofton and Jaxon Holder, and a solo home run by Jordan Bach.

The offensive onslaught continued with another homer from Gabe Petrucelli in the fourth inning, bringing the score to 6-2. A seven-run fifth inning featured a two-run home run by Michael Mylott, who was facing his former team, and a grand slam by Kaleb Hall.

Bradley attempted a comeback, reducing their deficit significantly. Cole Smith had an impressive performance with five hits, four RBIs, and three runs. He contributed to shrinking Southern Illinois's lead to 14-11 by the sixth inning. However, Southern put the game beyond doubt in the ninth inning, powered by John Lemm's five RBIs, alongside contributions from Matt Schark and Tim Simay.

Gavan Wernsing secured the win for Southern Illinois after three innings out of the bullpen, while Matt Irvine finished the game with three consecutive strikeouts. Eli Lehrman took the loss for Bradley.

Looking ahead, Southern Illinois and Bradley will meet again for a doubleheader starting at noon on Saturday. Fans can follow the games through live stats and can watch the second game on ESPN+.

Stay updated on Southern Illinois baseball by following their social media accounts and downloading the "Salukis" Mobile App available on both the App Store and Google Play Store.