Box Score EVANSTON, Ill. – SIUE scored six runs on 10 hits Friday but fell 8-6 to Northwestern in the opening game of a three-game nonconference baseball series at Rocky Miller Park.
"We moved some runners around with wild pitches, passed balls, and those types of things," SIUE Head Coach Tony Stoecklin said. "Those are things don't always get noticed. I bet we gave them at least three runs today."
The Cougars took a 3-0 lead thanks to a two-run home run by Alec Saikal, his third, in the first inning and an RBI double from Chase Green in the second inning.
Northwestern took a 4-3 lead with single runs in the first and second innings and two runs in the third inning. The Wildcats took a 5-3 lead with a run in the bottom of the fifth inning.
All five Wildcat runs came against SIUE starter Jarrett Bednar (1-5). Bednar tossed six innings allowing just four earned runs on 10 hits. He struck out two and walked one.
"He didn't have his best stuff today," Stoecklin said. "He found a way to make it through six innings."
Austin Verschoore hit a sacrifice fly to center to cut the Northwestern lead to 5-4 in the sixth. Chase Green scored on the play after reaching on an error to start the inning.
Northwestern extended its lead to 6-4 with a run in the bottom of the seventh against SIUE reliever Brett Thomas. The Wildcats scored twice more in the eighth to make it 8-4.
Thomas pitched two innings allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits. He struck out two and walked one.
SIUE threatened in the ninth with a pair of runs. Denton Reed tripled with one out and then scored on a passed ball. Devin Caldwell connected for his 10th home run of the year for the final margin.
Reed led the Cougars at the plate. He was 3 for 5 with the run scored. Saikal was 2 for 5 with the homer and two RBIs. Green and Caldwell each had a hit and an RBI.
"We swung the bats OK," Stoecklin said. "We didn't have timely hitting. Devin (Caldwell), Denton (Reed) and Alec (Saikal) specifically took some good at-bats."
The Cougars and Wildcats play the second game of the three-game series Saturday in Evanston. The first pitch is at 1 p.m.
