Cougars feast on home cookin'

By Chris Lamb
Sports

The Cougar baseball squad continued to tear through opponents by winning five out of three doubleheaders played at home this weekend. The team's five wins gives SIUE a 13-3 record since March 8.

Wednesday the Cougars played host to tenth-ranked Central Missouri State. SIUE split the doubleheader by winning the first game 8-5, then losing the second 11-8.

In game one, Brian Matzenberger picked up the win and improved to 4-1 overall. He went five innings, giving up four earned runs and striking out four. Jared Wood came in and picked up his first save of the year.

The Mules jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Mark Bugger answered with his second home run of the year in the bottom of the first to tie the score.

Chad Opel then smashed a three-run shot for his first homer of the year in the second inning putting the Cougars ahead, 5-2. SIUE added another run in the fourth and two in sixth inning.

Central Missouri State scored three runs in the last two innings, but that's all the Mules could pull off as the Cougars held on for the victory. Travis Dawson and Dave Crouthers each had a 2-for-4 performance with a run batted in. Bugger was 2-for-2 with his two-run homer, while Jeremiah Bergheger also went 2-for-2.

In game two, Corey Blackwell allowed six earned runs in four innings to drop his record 2-2 on the season. Central Missouri State also hit one home run off Blackwell and four long ones off Cougar relievers.

The Mules lit Blackwell up in the first inning for all of his six earned runs and grabbed the early lead. SIUE slowly crept back with a run in the first, another in the second, and three in the fourth. The Mules increased the lead in the fifth, scoring three runs to go ahead 9-5.

The Cougars didn't give up, though, and scored three runs in the sixth to make it a one-run game at 9-8. Central Missouri State put up two insurance runs in the top of the seventh to seal the win. Crouthers led the Cougars with three hits and three RBIs. Brock Friese also had three hits, while Bugger added a 2-for-4 performance and an RBI.

In their two games against Indianapolis (15-7), the Cougars won 6-1 and 9-0.

In game one Ryan Cox went the distance to improve to 4-1. He struck out eight batters in the game.

It was a scoreless game until the fourth, when SIUE scored three runs. After the Greyhounds added one the next inning, the Cougars scored two more the bottom half to lead 5-1. SIUE added one more run in the sixth. Dawson and Crouthers went 2-for-4 with an RBI a piece. Opel went 2-for-3.

In the game two shutout, Aaron Rakers pitched a complete game, allowing only five hits and striking out 10. He now has a record of 4-1.

Brady Arview hit his first home run of the season, and knocked in four in his 2-for-4 performance. Bugger had two hits and three RBIs, while Ryan Collins also smacked two hits. Shortstop Bergheger went 3-for-4 with a run batted in for the victorious Cougar squad.

The Cougars' third doubleheader was Sunday against Northern Kentucky (8-6).

In game one, SIUE embarrassed the Norse, pounding out 13 hits, and scoring 18 runs. Matzenbacher became the Cougars first five-game winner, allowing only two earned runs and recording four stikeouts. His record goes to 5-1 with the complete game.

Todd Haug went deep for his second homer of the season. Dawson had three hits in five at bats and knocked in three runs. Crothers added four RBI's on his two hits. Friese and Collins each went 2-for-4 at the plate, and each had a run batted in.

SIUE scored five in the second, three in the fifth, and ten in the sixth in the 18-2 blowout. The Cougars' 18 runs is their second best scoring output of the year. March 12, the Cougars defeated American International 21-1 for their largest run-output this season.

Game two was a little closer, but SIUE came out on top with a 4-3 win.

Starter Corey Blackwell allowed no earned runs and struck out five, but Jared Wood came out of the bullpen for the win. Wood now sports a perfect 4-0 record.

Crouthers had yet another solid game, going 2-for-5 with three RBI's. Collins and Opel each went 2-for-4. Opel drove in his twelfth run of the season.

The Cougar leaders through March 22 feature Dawson on top in hitting with a .436 average and Crouthers gaining ground at .396. Haug and Bugger each have two home runs, though Bugger has 17 more RBIs and leads the team with a total of 27.

SIUE now boasts a perfect conference record of 4-0, and are 20-8 overall. The Cougars look to continue their success at home when Missouri Baptist visits SIUE Wednesday.