April 6, 2021

By John T. Lock

Southern Illinois Athletics

CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois Salukis scored nine runs in the first two innings, and the pitching staff tossed a seven-hit shutout in a 15-0 win over Austin Peay on Tuesday night at Itchy Jones Stadium.

“The big key today was the success we had on the mound,” SIU head coach Lance Rhodes said. “Multiple guys went out there and threw up zero after zero. We really needed it, from a confidence standpoint with the arms. It’s a long season, and sometimes you go through ups and downs. It was nice to see several people bounce back and have good days on the mound. It was exciting to see. We swung the bats well and played solid defense, too. It was just an all-around solid game in all three main areas.”

SIU (21-6) dominated the game from the start. On the mound, Noah Farmer set the tone with three scoreless frames to start the day. Offensively, the Salukis scored five runs in the first inning and four more in the second, all with two outs. J.T. Weber had an RBI single; Philip Archer had a two-RBI double; and Vinni Massaglia hit a two-run homer in the first inning. In the second inning, Weber hit a two-run single, and Archer followed with a two-run double.

The Salukis hit up and down the lineup, but Archer was the standout, going 4-for-5 with two doubles, a homer, and seven RBIs. His homer was a towering shot to right center that somehow cleared the wall despite a 15-mph wind coming straight in from right field.

SIU was outstanding all night on the mound, as well. Farmer earned the win on the staff day for the Salukis, allowing three hits in three shutout innings. Bubba Hall, Mitchell Jackson, Kyle Back, Kyle Dixon, Braden Babcock (Oshawa, Ont.), Gage O’Brien and Trey McDaniel came in behind him to finish SIU’s second shutout of the year.

Babcock allowed a lead-off single in the seventh, retired the next hitter on a liner, then proceeded to get back-to-back ground balls to end the 1-2-3-4 inning. Babcock is 1-0 with a 6.75 ERA in five games -- three starts -- walking four and striking out five in 9 1/3 innings.

Austin Peay (9-17) only got a runner to third base twice in the game.

The Salukis were great on defence, as well. Tristan Peters (Winkler, Man.) made two diving catches in centre field. Peters, who singled leading off the fourth, is batting .420, tops of the club through 27 games, with nine doubles, two homers and 26 RBIs in 27 starts. He has a 1.086 OPS and is 10-for-11 stealing bases.

Brad Hudson made a sliding grab in foul territory in right field. Ian Walters made a leaping grab to save a run. Archer dug several throws out of the dirt.

In all, it was an all-around win for an SIU team that was going through its first rough stretch of the season, having lost five of its last six games coming into today after starting the season 19-1.