Southern Illinois broke a 2-2 tie Tuesday with one run in the sixth inning, four in the seventh and five the eighth to beat the Illinois baseball team 12-3 at Itchy Jones Stadium. Illinois previously swept SIU in a three-game series to win the season series 3-1.
Illinois (28-15) gave Southern Illinois 15 free passes, 12 walks and three hit by pitches. All of Southern's runs in the seventh were driven in on free passes with two outs, three on walks and one on a hit batter, as SIU broke the game open.
Southern Illinois (18-22) snapped a 10-game losing streak. SIU was led by Philip Archer's two hits, two runs and two RBIs, including a two-run homer in the second inning. Nikola Vasic added two hits and two RBIs, Grey Epps hit solo homer in the sixth, Aiden McMahan drove in three runs, and Alex Lyon scored three times.
Zac Taylor led Illinois with two hits and scored all three of the Illini's runs. Taylor, Ben Troike, Kellen Sarver, Cam McDonald and Grant Van Scoy all hit doubles.
Illinois returns Wednesday to Illinois Field to face Indiana State to start a seven-game homestand.
