New coach Schrage picks up win No. 600

Gojacks.Com

SDSU hung on to win a suspended game, 11-8, to open the day, then dropped a 4-2 decision later Sunday to complete an abbreviated three-game series at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville.

The Jackrabbits, who won two of the three games in the series, moved to 4-10-1 overall. SIUE ended the day 9-10 overall. SDSU’s victory Sunday was the 600th of Jackrabbit head coach Dave Schrage’s career.

In the opener, SDSU scored all of its runs prior to the game being suspended Saturday after four innings due to rain. Andrew Melton opened the scoring with a run-scoring single in the second inning, and the Jackrabbits erupted for seven runs against SIUE starter Brooks McDowell in the top of the third to take an 8-1 lead. Andrew Phelan was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to plate the first run, followed by a Phil Paquette two-run single up the middle. Aaron Machbitz and Zach Rhodes each drove in runs before Daniel Marra capped the big inning with a two-run double to the left-center gap.

The Cougars countered with three runs in the home half of the third, but the Jackrabbits put the game out of reach with a three-run fourth. Paquette doubled in the first run, with Machbitz adding a run-scoring single and Melton a sacrifice fly.

When play resumed Sunday, SIUE scored three runs in the top of the fifth against Jackrabbit reliever Austin Busse, starting with a leadoff home run by Joel Greatting.

Busse was credited with the victory after pitching three innings. Shane Kraemer recorded two strikeouts in the final two innings to pick up his first save of the season.

Freshman Adam Bray started for the Jackrabbits, allowing four runs, seven hits and a walk in four innings. The right-hander struck out two.

Paquette was 3-for-4 with three runs batted in to lead SDSU’s 15-hit attack. Rhodes, Marra, Eric Cain, Machbitz and Melton each tallied two hits.

In the finale, the Jackrabbits jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the third. Steven Autenrieth led off with an infield single, moved to second on a walk to Zach Rhodes and later scored on a groundout. Eric Cain plated Andrew Melton with the final run of the frame with a base hit.

SIUE tied the game in the home half of the inning against Jackrabbit starter Layne Somsen and took the lead in the fourth as Brett Keeler walked with two outs, moved to third on a double by Chase Green and scored on a wild pitch.

The Cougars tacked on a run in the seventh, and ended three potential SDSU rallies with double plays.

SIUE starter Travis Felax struck out four and walked two in seven innings, while allowing six hits. Dustin Quattrocchi retired all six batters he faced to earn his fourth save of the season.

Somsen allowed only two hits in six innings, but surrendered seven walks to go along with two strikeouts.

Paquette again led the Jackrabbits at the plate with two of the team’s six hits, including a triple.

The Jackrabbits opened the series behind Stephen Bougher, who pitched his second consecutive shutout, limiting Southern Illinois-Edwardsville to three hits as the Jackrabbits opened a four-game series with a 5-0 victory Friday night.

The Jackrabbits improved to 3-9-1 overall. SIU-E dropped to 8-9 overall.

SDSU gave Bougher all the run support he would need in the top of the first inning. With one out, Daniel Marra singled, moved to third on an Eric Cain base hit and scored on a sacrifice fly by Daniel Telford. Marra also scored the second Jackrabbit run of the game on a double play grounder after leading off the frame with a base hit.

The Jackrabbits added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth and tacked on one more in the eighth. Andrew Phelan led off the top of the sixth with a base hit and scored on Aaron Machbitz’s triple to right center. Machbitz later scored on a wild pitch. Zach Rhodes scored the eighth-inning run on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Cain.

Bougher, meanwhile, retired 10 hitters in a row in one stretch and allowed singles in the first, sixth and seventh innings. The junior from Papillion, Neb., struck out six and walked four as he evened his record at 2-2 with the complete-game effort.

Marra led the Jackrabbits’ nine-hit attack with a 3-for-5 night at the plate. Cain and Phelan each added two hits.