CARBONDALE, Ill. – For the second-straight day, Southern Illinois and Bradley had to suspended a baseball game due to lightning. Thursday night’s game, which was suspended in the third inning, was finished on Friday with the Braves winning, 5-3. The teams then started the second game of the series, which was suspended in the bottom of the fifth inning with the score tied, 1-1.
The teams will resume the second game of the series at noon on Saturday, which will be followed by a Senior Day ceremony honoring SIU’s eight seniors. After the ceremony, the teams will play the final game of the series.
The first game of the series started on Thursday night with three innings before the suspension. In the opening three innings, the Braves held a 3-2 lead. When the game resumed today, both pitching staffs got excellent pitching performances. For SIU, Brad Harrison allowed just one earned run in 5.1 innings while striking out five, his best strikeout total in his last six starts. The only earned run he gave up was four walks during an inning when the rain was heavy.
Bradley reliever Boby Johnson earned the win for Bradley with 6.1 outstanding innings. He struck out nine while allowing just one unearned run. With the win, Bradley secured the No. 3 seed in the upcoming MVC Tournament.
In the second game of the series, SIU started the scoring with Jared Kengott’s RBI double in the second inning. Noah Farmer made his first collegiate start and was outstanding, throwing a career-best four scoreless innings. He allowed four hits and a walk but worked around the traffic to strand four Bradley runners.
After Farmer left after four innings, Bradley tied the game in the top of the fifth. A leadoff walk was sacrificed to second, and a one-out opposite-side RBI single tied the game. The Salukis started a rally in the bottom of the fifth. Jared Kengott singled and Brad Hudson drew a walk. Then, with a 1-1 count on leadoff man Nikola Vasic, a nearby lightning strike forced the game suspension.
SIU will be either the 5-seed or 6-seed in next week’s MVC Tournament. Southern can clinch the No. 5 seed in the MVC Tournament with a win in either game on Saturday or an Illinois State loss at Evansville.
The teams will resume the second game of the series at noon on Saturday, which will be followed by a Senior Day ceremony honoring SIU’s eight seniors. After the ceremony, the teams will play the final game of the series.
The first game of the series started on Thursday night with three innings before the suspension. In the opening three innings, the Braves held a 3-2 lead. When the game resumed today, both pitching staffs got excellent pitching performances. For SIU, Brad Harrison allowed just one earned run in 5.1 innings while striking out five, his best strikeout total in his last six starts. The only earned run he gave up was four walks during an inning when the rain was heavy.
Bradley reliever Boby Johnson earned the win for Bradley with 6.1 outstanding innings. He struck out nine while allowing just one unearned run. With the win, Bradley secured the No. 3 seed in the upcoming MVC Tournament.
In the second game of the series, SIU started the scoring with Jared Kengott’s RBI double in the second inning. Noah Farmer made his first collegiate start and was outstanding, throwing a career-best four scoreless innings. He allowed four hits and a walk but worked around the traffic to strand four Bradley runners.
After Farmer left after four innings, Bradley tied the game in the top of the fifth. A leadoff walk was sacrificed to second, and a one-out opposite-side RBI single tied the game. The Salukis started a rally in the bottom of the fifth. Jared Kengott singled and Brad Hudson drew a walk. Then, with a 1-1 count on leadoff man Nikola Vasic, a nearby lightning strike forced the game suspension.
SIU will be either the 5-seed or 6-seed in next week’s MVC Tournament. Southern can clinch the No. 5 seed in the MVC Tournament with a win in either game on Saturday or an Illinois State loss at Evansville.
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