Okotoks Dawgs and Pembina Valley Orioles OF Tristan Peters (Winkler, Man.) doubled in a pair.

April 24, 2021

By John Lock

Southern Illinois

VALPARAISO, Ind. - The Southern Illinois Salukis bounced back from Friday’s doubleheader losses to the Valpo Crusaders with a 10-4 win on Saturday afternoon at Emory Bauer Field. SIU’s win snapped a five-game losing skid.

“It’s nice to get a win again. Right now, we’re fighting some struggles, whether that’s offensively, on the mound, or even defensively,” SIU head coach Lance Rhodes said. “We have to continue to compete like crazy while we’re physically struggling. We have to win ugly for a little bit, and hopefully get back on track and playing better. For now, we need to continue to grind and compete like nobody’s business while we’re not playing as well.”

Brad Harrison didn’t have his best stuff but pitched masterfully around traffic all day. Valpo scraped out 11 hits against Harrison, but the fifth-year senior pitched into the seventh inning and allowed just three runs (two earned) in a quality start. Four times in the first six innings, Valpo got a leadoff single, and only one of those scored. Harrison stranded nine Valpo base runners through six innings.

While Harrison kept Valpo at bay, SIU (26-11, 6-9 MVC) took advantage of its opportunities. Tristan Peters hit a two-run double in the third inning, and Philip Archer followed with a two-out RBI double to give SIU a 4-0 lead.

Peters (Winkler, Man.) is now hitting .366 with 13 doubles, a trriple, two home runs and 35 RBIs. He has been a success stealing bases 12-for-13 times and owns a .998 OPS in 37 games.

Valpo (7-21, 2-9 MVC) got within 4-1 before the Salukis extended the lead late in the game. Ian Walters started a two-out rally in the sixth with a walk and eventually scored on a wild pitch.

J.T. Weber drove home a run with an RBI double in the seventh, and Walters gave the Salukis an 8-1 lead with a two-out, two-strike, two-run single later in the inning. Valpo got within 8-3, but Nick Neville hit a towering two-run homer in the eighth to remove all doubt. Valpo added a run in the ninth to set the final score at 10-4.