SIUE Swept in Season Opening Action

Seattle University swept a season-opening baseball doubleheader from SIUE Friday, winning 4-1 in the opener before taking the nightcap 9-3 at Bannerwood Park.

The Cougars (0-2) and Redhawks (2-0) will continue the four-game series with single games Saturday and Sunday.

"It's nice to get day one under your belt," First-year Head Coach Sean Lyons. "You learn some things in game situations that you can't learn in practice."

In the opener, a scheduled seven-inning contest, the Redhawks scored single runs in the second and third innings for a 2-0 lead.

The Cougars trimmed the lead to 2-1 in the fourth inning. Alec Skender singled to start the inning before Keaton Wright walked. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Brock Wiemer. Jordan Stading then grounded out to drive in Skender.

Lyons was glad to see the Cougars manufacture a run.

"It was nice to see us execute that way early in the year," he said.

Seattle leftfielder Aaron Stroosma added a two-run homer in the sixth for the final margin.

Skender paced the Cougar offense, finishing 3 for 3 with the run scored.

"He had a nice day," Lyons said of Skender. "He started things off right in the first inning by taking a ball the other way."

Mario Tursi had the only other hit for SIUE. He was 1-2.

Nolan Martz (0-1) made his Cougar debut, tossing five innings. He allowed all four runs on seven hits. He struck out five and walked three.

"We got a great effort out of Nelson," Lyons added. "He made a couple of bad pitches and they (Seattle) made him pay. He did a nice job of going deep into the game."

Tyler Hutchinson pitched a scoreless sixth, striking out one.

Seattle righthander Janson Junk tossed six innings for the win. He allowed a run on four Cougar hits. He struck out seven and walked only one.

"He did a nice job keeping us off-balance," Lyons said. "He worked both sides of the plate well.

In the late game, Seattle struck for five runs on four hits in the first inning against SIUE starter Brock Fulkerson. Seattle designated hitter Max Modeste hit a three-run homer in the inning.

Fulkerson (0-1) pitched 3 1/3 innings, allowing six runs on six hits. He struck out four and walked three.

Both teams scored in the second inning. Mario Tursi collected the Cougars' RBI on a groundout which followed hits by Chris Monasmith and Jackson Layton. Wright picked up a one-out RBI-single in the third to score Dustin Woodcock, who had walked to start the frame.

Jared McCunn pulled the Cougars to within three runs and 6-3 with a two-out, RBI-double in the fifth inning. Wright scored after reaching on a walk.

Seattle added two runs in the bottom of the fifth and another in the seventh for the 9-3 final.

"It's not easy when you give up five runs in the first inning," Lyons said. "I give our guys credit, they kept battling. We got it to 6-3, but (Seattle) answered and separated themselves.

Modeste finished 1 for 3 with the three-run homer for Seattle. Redhawlks' first baseman Sean Sutton finished with three hits for Seattle.

Anthony Sitko allowed a run in two innings of relief for SIUE. He walked two. Michael Shereyk allowed two runs in 2 2/3 innings.  

The great thing about this sport is you get to go out tomorrow and start over. We're looking forward to the challenge.

The Cougars and Redhakws are slated to play the third game of the series Saturday at 3 p.m. CT.