March 10, 2007

Three-Run Eighth Not Enough in 6-4 Loss at Southern Illinois

    Carbondale, Ill. -- Youngstown State scored three runs in the top of the eighth to get within two but fell 6-4 to Southern Illinois on Saturday afternoon at Abe Martin Field.
    Redshirt freshman Tom Clayton had three hits and scored twice for YSU while freshman Eric Marzec and senior Brent Parks both had two hits.
    Mark Kelly went 4-for-4 and Adam Hills had three hits and two RBIs for the Salukis.
    YSU got an unearned run in the second when Clayton scored on a throwing error, but SIU got to RBI hits in the bottom of the inning to go up 2-1.
    The Salukis got three runs in the fifth on an RBI double by Scott Elmendorf and a two-run Hills homer and one more in the seventh to go up 6-1.
    Erich Diedrich singled to start the eighth and scored one batter later on Lou Gattozzi's RBI double. Gattozzi advanced to third on Clayton's single and scored on a fielder's choice, and Clayton came around to score on a wild pitch.
    SIU reliever Bryant George retired the Penguins in order in the ninth.
    Chuck Schiffhauer allowed five runs on 12 hits in six innings in the loss while Jordan Powell allowed all four runs in 7 1/3 innings to earn the win. Corey Vukovic threw a scoreless eighth for YSU.
    The Penguins and Salukis will conclude their two-game series tomorrow at 2 p.m.