March 13, 2011

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville baseball completed the three-game sweep of Chicago State with a 7-3 win Sunday afternoon at Edwardsville High School.

SIUE, 4-11, got off to a quick start and never trailed in the game.

"We got timely hitting," SIUE Head Coach Gary Collins said. "We were able to get a couple here and a couple there."

Travis Becherer led off the 3rd with a double to right center. James Vazquez followed with a double down the right field line to make it 1-0 SIUE. Devin Caldwell then flied to right, moving Vazquez to third. Zach Hawkins drove home Vazquez with a sacrifice fly to put SIUE up 2-0.

SIUE added a run in the fifth when Devin Caldwell led off the inning with a double inside of third base and then moved to third on a fly out by Zach Hawkins. Joel Greatting then doubled to deep left to make it 3-0.

Josh Malin, 1-1, started and tossed six shutout innings for SIUE. He allowed seven hits and struck out four. He did not walk a batter.

"We pitched well out of the gate," Collins said. "All season our starting pitching has been pretty good."

Gregory Day, 0-1, started and suffered the loss for CSU. Day allowed three runs on eight hits over seven innings. He walked four and did not strike out a hitter.

In the eighth inning Chase Green walked to start the inning. Brett Keeler singled and then moved to second on a wild pitch by CSU reliever Fialka. Thad Hawkins laid a bunt down the first base line, scoring Green to put SIUE up 4-0. Becherer followed with a single to left-center to make it 5-0. Zach Hawkins, hitting with the bases loaded, then ripped a two-run single to left to make it 7-0 SIUE after eight innings.

Zach Hawkins was 1 for 3 for the day with three RBIs. The junior now leads the team with 15 RBIs. Becherer was 3 for 5 with an RBI and two runs. Vazquez, Caldwell and Greatting each had a pair of hits for SIUE.

Chicago State, 1-5, scored its only runs in the ninth against SIUE reliever Luke Ingersoll. Ingersoll pitched just the ninth, allowing the three runs. Tony Schaeffer tossed a pair of scoreless innings in relief. He struck out one.

SIUE plays a single-game Wednesday at Illinois State. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.