Boucher doubles, homers, knocks in four for Southern Illinois in win

Southern Illinois Saluki LF Pier Olivier Boucher (Saint-Joseph-de-Bauce, Que.), knocked in four runs against Louisiana-Monroe.

February 20, 2022

By Michael Reis

Southern Indiana

Two runs in the seventh inning broke an 8-8 tie and led the Southern Indian Salukis to a 10-9 series clinching win at Louisiana-Monroe Sunday afternoon.

1B Jeremy Schork led off the decisive seventh inning with his first Saluki home run. One out later C Nick Hagedorn and 2BGrey Epps hit back-to-back doubles to put the Salukis ahead, 10-8.

SIU’s fifth pitcher of the game, newcomer Jake Combs, scored his first Saluki save in his first appearance by pitching three innings of one run baseball. The War Hawks had the tying runs on base in the bottom of the eighth and the game ended with the tying run at first after ULM scored one run in the ninth.

Senior Trey McDaniel (1-0) scored his 13th career win after pitching the fifth and sixth innings.

Both teams scored four times in the eighth inning as both benefited from errors. ULM 3B Grant Schulz’ second error of the game led to three Saluki unearned runs. Saluki LF JT Weber hit a bases clearing double to make it 7-4 SIU. LF Pier Olivier Boucher (Saint-Joseph-de-Beauce, Que.), who drove in four runs, drove in Weber with a double.

Schork’s error led to three unearned runs for the War Hawks in their half of the sixth. Shortstop Carson Jones hit three-run homer two hitters after a War Hawk sacrifice fly.

SIU’s first home run of the season drew the Salukis even, 4-4, in the fifth inning. Boucher, who hit six home runs in two seasons at Indian Hills CC, homered to left centre field after JT Weber singled.

ULM took a 4-2 lead in the fourth inning thanks in part to three hit batsmen by Saluki RPs Matthew Steidl and Payton Tinkler. Schulz drove in one of the two batters Steidl hit with a single. Tinkler’s HBP came with the bases loaded.

The Salukis scored single unearned runs in the first and third innings. Boucher drove in SS Kaeber Rog with a scoring fly ball in the first inning. Rog scored the third inning run from third base on Schulz’ wild throw after fielding Saluki DH Zach Jensen’s ground ball.

Saluki starter Jordan Bloemer lasted two innings, allowing a second inning run on an inside the park home run by Travis Washburn. Steidl relieved Bloemer in the third inning and allowed William Perkins’ RBI single tying the game at 2-2.

Boucher drove in four runs for the Salukis. Weber drove in three runs and had three hits. Rog scored three runs.

SIU (2-1) visits Austin Peay Tuesday.