PEORIA, Ill. – Bradley Baseball dropped their first two games of the weekend series to the Southern Illinois Salukis on Friday and Saturday.
Slow Starts
In game one, the Salukis jumped out to an early lead in the first after a wild pitch allowed the first run to score. They extended their lead in the second with an RBI double and a balk allowed the third run to score.
Sohrab Rezaei hit an RBI single in the fifth to score the Braves' lone run and make the score 3-1. Southern Illinois extended their lead in the sixth with a sacrifice fly and a grand slam to make it 8-1. Another two-run shot in the seventh gave the Salukis a 10-1 lead.
The game was suspended heading into the eighth inning and was resumed on Saturday. The two teams finished the game and the Braves' pitching staff closed the final two innings without allowing a hit.
In game two, the Salukis took an early lead in the third with an RBI triple and a throwing error later in the inning allowed another run to score. A throwing error in the fifth plated another run and a passed ball later in the inning brought in another to give the Salukis a 4-0 lead.
Southern Illinois added some insurance runs in the top of the ninth with an RBI double and an RBI groundout to make it 6-0. The Braves put some runs on the board in the bottom of the ninth with Landon Lowe and Michael Quick's RBI groundouts to make the score 6-2.
Standout Performances for Bradley
Rezaei reached base four times across the two games, recording one hit and three walks while driving in one run and scoring once. He extended his streak of getting on base to 21 games. In game one, Jaxon Schumacher hit 1-for-2 with a double and two walks.
Hayden Miller recorded a hit in both games, including the Braves' only hit in the second game. On the weekend, he's hitting 2-for-5 with three hit by pitches and a double.
On the Mound
Lou Levy took the start in game one, pitching one inning while allowing two runs on two hits. Gavin Thompson took the mound in relief and gave up one earned run over five innings, yielding eight hits and two walks while striking out five.
In game two, Robert Sanford took the start, allowing two runs, one earned, over three innings while allowing four hits and one walk while striking out two. Davis Webb relieved Sanford and pitched six innings while yielding four runs, two earned, on three hits while walking four and striking out nine.
Standout Performances for Southern Illinois
Cecil Lofton has had two strong games so far, hitting 4-for-8 with a home run, three walks, four RBI, and two runs scored. On the mound, Troy Shepard had a great start in game two, throwing eight hitless innings before allowing his first hit in the bottom of the ninth inning. He was charged with two runs on one hit while walking three and striking out 12.
By the Numbers
Game 1 (April 17/18) – Bradley: 1 run, 5 hits, 1 error | Southern Illinois: 10 runs, 12 hits, 1 error
Game 2 (April 18) – Bradley: 2 runs, 1 hit, 3 errors | Southern Illinois: 6 runs, 7 hits, 0 errors
