April 16, 2011

MURRAY, Ky. - Devin Caldwell's two-run double in the top of the 8th inning lifted SIUE to a 4-2 win in game two, and a sweep of Murray State in a college baseball double header at Reagan Field on the Murray State campus. The Cougars won the opener 17-7.

SIUE improved to 14-19, equaling its win total from all of 2010. Murray State dropped to 13-20.

"That was a nice crisp second game," SIUE Head Coach Gary Collins said. "And then we get that big hit from Caldwell in the eighth--that's nice."

SIUE led 2-1 heading into the seventh, the scheduled last inning. Murray State got a one-out sacrifice fly from Ty Stetson to tie the game and force extra innings.

SIUE wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard in game two. Vazquez was hit by a pitch leading off the game. Caldwell hit a one-out sacrifice fly to right to put the Cougars up 1-0.

Murray State evened the score in the fourth with an unearned run against Cougar starter Spencer Patton. SIUE moved back in front with an unearned run of its own in the fifth. Swinnen scored the run on an error after reaching on a one-out single.

Patton, 5-2, earned the win allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits. He struck out six. Thad Hawkins tossed a perfect ninth to earn his third save of the year.

SIUE erupted for 17 runs on 20 hits in game one.

"We had a lot of big hits in that first one," Collins said.

The Cougars took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when James Vazquez singled and went to second on a sacrifice bunt. Vazquez was able to score from second on a sacrifice fly by Mitch Matecki to deep center field.

SIUE sent 11 hitters to the plate in the fifth inning and scored seven times on six hits. Zach Hawkins and Joel Greatting each drove in two runs in the inning. Devin Caldwell and Brett Keeler also added RBIs in the inning to lead 8-0.

Zach Hawkins led the way at the plate. He was 5 for 5 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Greatting was 3 for 5 with three RBIs.

Murray State answered with five runs, thanks to five hits and two SIUE errors in the bottom of the fifth inning.

The Cougars extended the lead to 16-5 with four runs each in the sixth and seventh innings. Mike Swinnen had a two-run single in the sixth inning. Chase Green drove home two with a single in the seventh.

Green was 2 for 5. Swinnen finished 2 for 6. Vazquez, Matecki and Caldwell also had two hits apiece.

The `Breds scored twice in the seventh to chase Cougar starter Josh Malin. Malin allowed seven runs, five earned, on nine hits over 6 2/3 innings. He did not walk a hitter and struck out five. Main improved to 3-2 with the win. Jake Stauffenberg tossed the final 2 1/3 innings, allowing just two hits.

The two teams will play the finale of the three-game series Sunday. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.