The Southern Illinois Salukis baseball team secured its first three-game sweep of the 2026 season over the Bradley Braves on April 19 in Peoria, following a decisive six-run ninth inning that led to a final score of 13-5.
This win is significant for the Salukis as it marks their first time scoring double-digit runs in multiple games during the same weekend this year. The victory also highlights key performances from players such as Kyle Mager, who collected a season-high five RBIs and capped off the game with a three-run home run, and Jaden Flores, who recorded his second three-hit game of the campaign and hit his second home run of the weekend.
The game saw early offense from both teams. Mager opened scoring for Southern Illinois with an RBI single in the first inning. After Bradley briefly took leads in subsequent innings, Gabe Petrucelli tied things up with an RBI single in the third. The Salukis responded strongly in the sixth inning with hits from Jaden Flores and Cecil Lofton, taking control of the scoreboard. Meade Johnson earned his first win of the season after pitching five innings for Southern Illinois.
The Southern Illinois Salukis baseball program has made five College World Series appearances and has reached NCAA Tournament play 14 times according to its official website. Legendary coach Richard ‘Itchy’ Jones led them to ten NCAA Tournament appearances and three College World Series berths during his tenure according to university records. In recognition of his contributions, Jones’s uniform number was retired by the program as reported by SIU.
Home games are played at Itchy Jones Stadium in Carbondale, which features artificial turf and a state-of-the-art video board according to official sources. The roster includes about 39 student-athletes participating at NCAA Division I level within the Missouri Valley Conference as noted by SIU Athletics. The program is also known for promoting community engagement through its role within Southern Illinois University athletics according to school information.
Looking ahead, Southern Illinois will travel to SEMO for a midweek matchup on Tuesday as they seek continued success this season.
