EDWARDSVILLE – Four SIUE pitchers combined to shut out Saint Louis on just three hits Tuesday night and the Cougars defeated the Billikens 2-0 at Simmons Complex.
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SIUE improve to 5-2 at home and 8-13 overall. Saint Louis fell to 11-13 overall.
It's a great way to start off the week," SIUE Head Coach Sean Lyons said.
Brian Chandler started and threw the first four innings for the Cougars. Mike Shereyk (1-0) worked two innings and struck out one and Adam Drewry added a scoreless inning.
"We got a strong effort out of the pitching staff," Lyons said. "Brian Chandler gave us a four innings, not maybe as clean and as crisp as we wanted, but he did limit them offensively and Mike Shereyk and Adam Drewry combined (for three innings)."
Tyler Hutchinson came in with the Cougars up 1-0 in the eighth, two runners on for the Billikens and nobody out. Hutchinson got a ground ball fielder's choice, a pop up and a line out to get out of the inning without a run. He retired Saint Louis in order in the ninth for his first save of the year.
"Tyler Hutchinson got us out of a big jam in the eighth and then closed it out in the ninth," Lyons said.
SIUE took the lead against SLU starter Luke Matheny in the fifth. Justin Perkins led off the inning with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Garrett Carmichael. Bret Fehr hit a fly ball to left, which was caught in foul territory. Perkins tagged and raced for home as Billikens' outfielder Scott Youngbrandt made a strong throw to the plate. Perkins side-stepped the tag and scored to put the Cougars up 1-0.
The Cougars made it 2-0 in the eighth. After loading the bases with one out, Raul Elguezabal hit a ground ball to short. SLU picked up the force out at second, but Elguezabal beat the throw to first, allowing Jordan Ross to score.
"Perkins made a really nice move to avoid a tag at the plate and we were fortunate to get that run," Lyons said. "Then we have the bases loaded and Raul beat out a ground ball that could have been a double play ball."
Matheny (1-2) worked into the eighth inning, allowing two runs on six SIUE hits. He struck out three.
"We were fortunate," Lyons added. "Matheny did a nice job for them. SLU has been pitching it really well this year. We knew if we limited them offensively it was going to be a tight ballgame."
The Cougars outhit the Billikens 8-3. Saint Louis stranded 13 runners on base in the game.
SIUE plays Wednesday night at Evansville. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m.
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