Josh Clark might not be the most heralded pitcher on the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville baseball staff, but on Saturday he threw like the ace.
         Clark (Olalla, Wash.) scattered five hits and four walks over nine innings to get his second shutout of the season as SIUE defeated Northern Kentucky 1-0 to advance to the championship game of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament.
         SIUE faces Indianapolis on Sunday at noon. The No. 1 seeded Greyhounds lost in the first round and have since won three straight to advance to the finals. On Saturday they defeated Southern Indiana 4-3 in 12 innings and Northern Kentucky 3-2. Indianapolis needs to beat SIUE twice on Sunday to claim the GLVC championship, while the Cougars are just one win away from their third GLVC championship in five years.
         The only run of the game came with two outs in the second inning. Jason Kessler (Mattoon) and Josh DeWitte (Moline) drew consecutive walks. Todd Haug then singled, scoring Kessler.
         Northern Kentucky threatened in the second, third and eighth innings by getting a runner in scoring position with no outs. Each time Clark was able to get out of the jam.
         Matt Mason led off the eighth inning with a double for the Norse. He was the last baserunner Clark allowed as he retired the next six batters, including two strike outs.
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