Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois University's baseball team secured a 13-11 victory against Valparaiso in the opening game of their series at Emory G. Bauer Field. The Salukis hit seven home runs, a season-high, and amassed 19 hits throughout the game.

Senior center fielder Jordan Bach led the charge with two home runs, while Matt Schark added another, bringing his season RBI total to 79. Southern Illinois scored in seven out of nine innings and solidified their lead with a six-run sixth inning.

Bach's homers came in the first and fifth innings, giving him 13 for the year. Schark's solo shot in the sixth marked his 24th homer of the season. Kaleb Hall, John Lemm, Michael Mylott, and Jaxon Holder also contributed to Southern Illinois' highest single-game home run total since 2023.

Lemm and Dominic Petrucelli each had three hits, while Mylott added two hits, including a ninth-inning double that led to a run. Holder had two hits as well, including his fifth homer of the season. Bach reached base three times and drove in two runs.

Valparaiso kept pace with four home runs of their own. Leadoff hitter Kevin Denty hit two homers and finished with five RBIs for Valpo (8-40). His second three-run blast brought Valpo within two runs in the eighth inning.

Gavan Wernsing (3-0) earned the win for Southern Illinois (37-16), coming on in relief after starter Alec Nigut allowed six runs over four innings. Sam Frizzi recorded the final six outs for his eighth save of the season.

The teams will meet again on Friday at 1 p.m. CT for game two of their series. Fans can watch live on ESPN Plus or listen via Varsity Network with commentary from Luke Martin.

For updates on Southern Illinois University baseball, follow them on X at @SIU_Baseball or find them on Facebook and Instagram under SalukiBaseball.