May 10, 2011

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Indiana State scored two runs in the top of the ninth Tuesday night, but SIUE held on for a 10-9 win in college baseball at SimmonsCooper Complex. The win earned the Cougars the season series win over the Sycamores 2-1.

"It didn't feel like a win when it ended," SIUE Head Coach Gary Collins said. "We didn't play well, but we'll take it."

With SIUE leading 10-7, the Sycamores got three hits and a pair of walks in the ninth. Thad Hawkins got Kyle Burnam to fly out to left field, ending the game and stranding the bases loaded. Hawkins tossed the final 2/3 of an inning, allowing both runs, to secure his fifth save of the year.

The Cougars, 21-24, took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on back-to-back doubles by James Vazquez and Mike Swinnen. Joel Greatting made it 2-0 Cougars with his fifth home run of the year, a solo shot, to start the second inning. SIUE added five more runs before the inning was over. Mitch Matecki and Devin Caldwell each walked with the bases loaded. Zach Hawkins then ripped a three-run double to left center to make it 7-0. SIUE never trailed in the game.

"We swung the bats well early," Collins said. "I thought we had some opportunities to score more runs."

Greatting paced the Cougar offense which pounded out 12 hits. He was 3 for 5 with the homer. Vazquez was 2 for 3. Caldwell was 2 for 2 with the RBI. Hawkins finished the night 1 for 3 with the three RBIs.

Indiana State, 24-22, answered with four runs on four hits against SIUE starter Spencer Patton in the third inning. Koby Kraemer added a three-run home run in the inning for the Sycamores. Kraemer was 2 for 5 with the home run.

Patton tossed 5 2/3 innings to improve to 7-3 on the year. He allowed five runs on eight hits and struck out seven.

"Spencer kept us in the game," Collins added. "But it wasn't a good game from him."

Brett Keeler and Chase Green each added RBIs in the fourth to push the Cougars lead to 9-4. Keeler hit a sacrifice fly to left to drive home Caldwell, who was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Green singled to drive in Greatting, who also had singled. Keeler was 2 for 4. Green was 2 for 3.

It was 9-7 SIUE when Keeler led off the seventh inning with his second home run of the year to make it 10-7.

SIUE remains home to host Eastern Illinois in a three-game weekend series beginning with a double header Saturday afternoon. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.