EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- The Southern Illinois Miners were held to two hits on Sunday at Bosse Field in a 3-0 loss to the Evansville Otters in the rubber match of the three-game weekend series.
The Otters plated a run in the first inning when Ryan Long hit a solo home run leading off against Matt Parish for a 1-0 lead. The Otters then added insurance runs in the fourth inning, on a sacrifice fly by Jeff Gardner following a leadoff walk and stolen base by Josh Allen, and in the sixth inning when Zach Welz bounced into a double play with the bases loaded to make the score 3-0.
Southern Illinois' pitching was able to keep the game close, as Parish (2-3) surrendered two runs on two hits in four and two-thirds innings while Tre Hobbs, Austin Dubsky and Kyle Grana permitted only one run on one hit between them in relief. But the Miners' offense was held down by Shane Weedman (5-3), who allowed one hit and no runs over 5-2/3 innnings with four strikeouts.
Weedman pitched a no-hitter against the Miners earlier this season.
In the ninth inning, the Miners were able to get the tying run on base when Romeo Cortina walked and Nolan Earley singled, but Otters' closer Randy McCurry got the final two batters of the game out to complete the shutout.
The Miners won Saturday's game behind seven stellar innings on the mound from left-hander Chris Washington and a five-run third inning to surge ahead for a 9-2 victory.
James Alfonso hit his first home run with the Miners, a three-run shot in the third inning during a five-run rally. Craig Massoni later added a two-run homer and Brett Wiley had three of the Miners' 11 hits in the win.
Evansville won Friday's series opener, 3-2, with all three runs coming in the first inning against Corey Sessions.
Earley hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning, his eighth of the season, for the Miners' runs.
The Miners were off on Monday and now embark on a three-game road trip to Normal to take on the CornBelters starting Tuesday night.
