Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois University's baseball team split a doubleheader against Missouri State at Itchy Jones Stadium. In the opener, Missouri State edged out Southern Illinois 9-5 in extra innings. However, the Salukis claimed an 8-7 victory in the nightcap with a late-game rally led by John Lemm.

In the second game, Lemm delivered a walk-off home run in the ninth inning, securing the win for Southern Illinois and concluding the series finale with a 22-9 overall record and 6-3 in the MVC. He had an outstanding performance, reaching base four times and driving in four runs.

The Salukis found themselves trailing 7-3 going into the bottom of the seventh inning before mounting a comeback. Matt Schark drove in Michael Mylott with a single to initiate the rally, and Lemm's three-run homer tied the game at seven.

Previously, Missouri State had taken a 3-0 lead with a two-run triple by Logan Dunn and an RBI double from Logan Fyffe. The Salukis narrowed the gap to 5-3 with a run from Gabe Petrucelli's groundout and Tim Simay's two-run homer. Despite Missouri State extending their lead with a solo homer by Nick Rodriguez and an RBI single by Carter Bergman, Southern Illinois closed out the game with a victory.

Reliever Tyler Timmerman claimed the win for Southern Illinois by pitching two scoreless innings and striking out three.

In the first game, Southern Illinois took an early lead but could not hold on as Missouri State scored four runs in the 10th inning. Nick Rodriguez was pivotal for Missouri State, driving in five runs, including a decisive two-run double in extra innings.

Jordan Bach and Matt Schark each made significant contributions with Schark hitting a two-run homer. The game saw Meade Johnson allowing the Bears to tie the game, turning it into a closely contested pitchers' duel.

The game remained competitive with ties and lead changes, but a strong 10th inning from Missouri State secured their victory.

Southern Illinois will next face Southeast Missouri at home on Tuesday, April 8. The game starts at 6 p.m.

Fans can follow Southern Illinois baseball through various social media platforms and the "Salukis" Mobile App.