Southern Illinois News

Salukis Drop Saturday Matchup with Kentucky, 7-2

Two-out hitting was the difference Saturday afternoon as Kentucky scored six of their seven runs with two outs on the scoreboard en route to a series-clinching 7-2 victory at Itchy Jones Stadium.
 
The Wildcats (13-2) jumped out to an early lead, opening the game with two runs in the first. Easton Dermody retired the first two batters he faced on strikeouts before Kentucky struck for a triple off the wall in right field from Devin Burkes to get into the hit column.
 
UK's Emilien Pitre drove in the run in the next at bat with a single through the left side. Pitre would score later in the inning after a failed pickoff allowed him to move to third and a wild pitch allowed him to score.
 
The two-out scoring continued for the Wildcats in the fourth inning as UK plated four more runs. After the Salukis retired the first two batters they faced, five straight Wildcat hitters reached base. Kentucky struck for four base hits, a walk, and was aided by a throwing error in the inning to extend their lead to 6-0.
 
Southern Illinois (6-9) would get into the scoring column in the fifth inning with a pair of runs. The Salukis worked a pair of walks from Matt Schark and Mathieu Vallee to leadoff the inning before Pier-Olivier Boucher belted a double to right field to score both runs.
 
Boucher had three of SIU's eight hits as well as both RBIs to lead the Salukis.
 
UK outhit the Salukis 13-8 in the game, including 3-2 with extra-base hits. Jackson Gray led all hitters, reaching on four of his five plate appearances.
 
Dermody made his fourth start of the season for the Salukis on the mound, surrendering nine hits in four innings of work. The righty struck out five and issued three walks as he fell to 1-1 on the year.
 
Southern got five innings of work out of the bullpen Saturday with Kentucky scoring just one unearned run over the span. Tanner Perry tossed 2.1 innings and struck out three. Sam Replogle and Vinni Massaglia each allowed just one walk in their inning apiece.
 
Tyler Bosma (3-1) picked up his third win of the year after posting five innings on the mound. He gave up just two runs on three hits while striking out three. Jackson Nove pitched 2.2 scoreless innings for the Wildcats. 
 
UP NEXT
The Salukis will look to salvage the finale on Sunday with first pitch set for 1 p.m. 

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