Tyler Williams
SIU Athletics
7
Little Rock LR 9-8
10
Winner Southern Illinois SIU 19-1
Little Rock LR
9-8
7
Final
10
Southern Illinois SIU
19-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Little Rock LR 0 3 0 1 2 0 1 0 0 7 9 1
Southern Illinois SIU 0 0 4 2 1 0 0 3 X 10 7 1

W: McDaniel (1-0) L: Barkley, Aaron (4-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Trojans Drop Back-And-Forth Slugfest To 22nd-Ranked Salukis, 10-7

Kenny Rodriguez and Tyler Williams both hit home runs for Little Rock

CARBONDALE, Ill. – Little Rock and Southern Illinois went back-and-forth all night Friday at Itchy Jones Stadium, but a three-run eighth for the Salukis proved to be the difference as 22nd-ranked Southern Illinois ends the Trojan win streak with a 10-7 decision in the opening game of the weekend series.
 
Little Rock jumped out to the early 3-0 lead in the top of the second, thanks to a three-run home run from Kenny Rodriguez. The blast scored Noah Dickerson and Miguel Soto as the duo reached by way of a walk and single, respectively.
 
Southern Illinois responded in the bottom of the third as Aaron Funk walked the first three Salukis of the inning, and they responded with a pair of singles to score four runs, taking the 4-3 lead after three.
 
The Trojans would answer with an equalizer in the top of the fourth, beginning with a leadoff double from Soto, who would advance to third on a passed ball. Soto would then finish the final 90 feet off a sacrifice fly from Kobe Barnum, evening the score at 4-4.
 
Walks again came back to haunt Little Rock in the fourth as three straight to start the inning gave the Salukis the bases loaded with no outs once again, scoring a pair with an RBI single to reclaim the lead at 6-4. But Jacob Weatherley got out of the jam, forcing a fly out and then registering a pair of strikeouts to keep the Southern Illinois lead at two.
 
The game was evened at 6-6, courtesy of a two-run home run by Tyler Williams in the top of the fifth. The inning started with a one-out single from Jorden Hussein, setting the table for William's team-best fourth home run of the season, connecting on a 1-2 pitch over the left field wall.
 
Southern Illinois answered again to reclaim the lead at 7-6 in the home half of the fifth, answered in the top of the seventh by the Trojans. Eldrige Figueroa drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second off a sacrifice bunt. Hussein then singled through to left and Figueroa was able to make it home off a throwing error, tying the game once again at 7-7.
 
Little Rock had a chance to reclaim the lead in the top of the eighth, beginning with a leadoff single from Soto, advancing to second off a ground out. Rodriguez knocked a single and Soto tried to score from second, but was thrown out at home to end the threat.
 
The Salukis took advantage, scoring three runs in the bottom half of the inning, including a two-out, two-run home run, pushing the lead to 10-7. Little Rock couldn't convert in the ninth, dropping the decision to end the four-game winning streak.  
 
The Trojans out-hit the Salukis 9-7 on the night, led by a 3-for-4 showing by Soto with a double and a run scored. Hussein, Williams and Rodriguez each had a pair of hits on the evening as all three scored a run with Williams and Rodriguez combining for five RBI off their respective home runs.
 
Funk went 3.0 innings and allowed four runs on two hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Austin Smith walked the two batters he saw in the fourth and gave way to Weatherley, who had a solid 3.2 inning performance, allowing just one run on two hits with four strikeouts.
 
Aaron Barkley was tagged with the loss, giving up the three runs in the eighth, while Cal Beardsley struck out the only batter he saw in the eighth. Walks proved to be costly for the Trojan pitchers as the seven free bases on the night helped contribute to six Saluki runs.
 
With the loss, Little Rock falls to 9-8 and sees its four-game winning streak snapped. Southern Illinois won its fifth-straight, improving to 19-1 on the year as the 19 wins are the most in NCAA baseball this season.
 
The two teams will go at it Saturday afternoon as Hayden Arnold will head to the mound for the Trojans. Opening pitch is set for 2 p.m. from Itchy Jones Stadium.
 
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