May 21, 2005

Final Stats

By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. - P.J. Finigan struck out four in 7.2 innings and went 2-for-5 with a RBI and the game's deciding run to lead Southern Illinois (37-19, 15-9) to a 5-4 win over Illinois State (26-27, 9-15) earlier today at Abe Martin Field.

With the win, SIU won the three-game series, 2-1, and locked up the No. 3 seed for the 2005 ConAgra Foods Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, which begins next Wednesday in Wichita, Kan.

This year's six-team field consists of No. 1 Creighton, No. 2 Wichita State, No. 3 SIU, No. 4 Evansville, No. 5 Indiana State and No. 6 Bradley.

SIU opens play at the 2005 ConAgra Foods MVC Tournament on Wednesday, May 25 against fourth-seeded UE. The Salukis and Purple Aces are likely to play at 3 p.m., CST.

You never know how important one run can be, and SIU found that out late in the game today.

After scoring three runs in the first and one in the second, SIU extended its lead to 5-0 in the sixth, where Finigan was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on Nathan Emrick's fielder's choice, moved to third when Matt Brewer flied out to center and scored on a wild pitch by Redbird reliever Ned Schauff.

Little did the Salukis know, that run would save the day, because in the top of the eighth, ISU's Kyle O'Brien delivered a two-out grand slam to bring the `Birds to within one (5-4).

Prior to O'Brien's smash, which cleared the wall in right, Jay Molina was hit by a pitch, Kris Jenkins singled and pinch-hitter Joe Burke walked.

O'Brien's smash also knocked Finigan out of the game, as he was relieved by Adam Snyder. A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., Snyder then caught Mike Kelley looking on strikes to get out of the inning.

SIU head coach Dan Callahan said after the game that he was impressed with the way Snyder handled the pressure situation.

"After O'Brien hit the grand slam, we positively had lost momentum," said head coach Dan Callahan. "When Snyder entered the game, there was all kinds of crazy stuff going on around him in both dugouts, and I thought he ended up being the difference maker."

Snyder also came up big in the ninth, where he forced Ryan Anetsberger to ground out to second after ISU had runners on the corners with two outs.

Snyder picked up his second save of the series and third in as many appearances over a week's time. A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., Snyder has tossed seven-straight shutout innings over his previous five relief appearances.

"What we've seen in Adam's last three or four appearances, is what we've seen out of him earlier in the year," stated Callahan. "If there's such a thing as most valuable player out of our bullpen, Adam would be it."

Finigan (9-2) also scattered eight hits on the day. One of those hits was a line drive by Anetsberger, which plunked Finigan's right foot in the sixth.

After Finigan went to the ground in obvious pain, he stayed in the game, and retired six of his next seven Redbird hitters.

In addition, his four Ks surpassed the 100-strikeout mark this season, as he now has 101 Ks in 101.2 innings.

Matt Fowles (4-6) suffered the loss for ISU. He lasted 1.2 innings, where he scattered four hits, allowed four runs, struck out one and walked one.

Finigan was one of three Saluki multiple-hit performers on the day. Brewer also went 3-for-5 with a double, run scored and two RBI, while Kevin Koski extended his hitting streak to 32 games by going 2-for-5 with a run scored. Koski's hitting streak now ties for fifth-longest in MVC history.

SIU also left 12 runners on base, which made its last run of the game look even bigger.

Additionally, ISU committed four errors to SIU's one.