Redshirt junior
Spencer Warfield (Fullerton, Calif. / Servite) ripped a go-ahead, three-run homer in the eighth inning and senior
Connor Giusti (Hoffman Estates, Ill. / Fremd) made a pair of spectacular defensive plays to help the Valparaiso University baseball team secure a season-closing win over third-place Southern Illinois with an 8-5, rubber-match victory on Saturday's Senior Day at Emory G. Bauer Field. Giusti,
Mathew Pigeon (Canton, Mass. / Canton),
Bryce Richter (Minneapolis, Minn. / Holy Family Catholic),
Harry Deliyannis (Bloomington, Ind. / Bloomington North),
Liam Patton (Barrington, Ill. / Warsaw),
Ryan Maka (Oak Forest, Ill. / Oak Forest) and
Kade Reinertson (Huxley, Iowa / Ballard Community) were recognized prior to the game as part of the Senior Day festivities.
How It Happened
- Maka started the scoring in the second inning by crushing a solo homer to right, and then – on a day where there were numerous contributions for the seniors – Pigeon stroked an RBI single to make it 2-0.
- Each team picked up a run in the fourth with the Salukis getting on the board on a solo homer in the top of the inning before Pigeon continued his big day with an RBI double down the right-field line to make it 3-1.
- The Salukis picked up three runs in the top of the fifth to go ahead 4-3, then added a sixth-inning insurance tally.
- In the top of the sixth, Southern Illinois had the bases loaded with two outs leading 5-3 and looking for more. On a ground ball up the middle ticketed for center field, Giusti – playing second base – dove behind the second-base cushion and gloved the two-hopper before delivering a one-hop glove flip to a covering Sullivan a split second before the runner slid feet first into second base, ending the inning.
- Redshirt freshman Case Sullivan (Carmel, Ind. / Carmel) led off the bottom of the sixth by cracking a home run to slim the Saluki advantage to one at 5-4.
- SIU stranded a man at third in the eighth, and it remained 5-4 going to the last of the eighth. Giusti singled and Maka walked in the inning, and Warfield came to the plate with two on and two out. He cleared the left-center field fence and deposited one just in front of the scoreboard for his aforementioned three-run shot to make it 7-5 Valpo.
- After Pigeon tripled on a ball where he just missed a home run of his own, he trotted home on a single by Reinertson to boost the lead to 8-5.
- The top of the ninth featured more drama as the first two batters reached via a single and a walk, prompting a Valpo pitching change as Evan Fulhorst (St. Peters, Mo. / Fort Zumwalt South) took over mound duties. He hit the first batter he faced, loading the bases with nobody out. In the biggest play of the game, Giusti made another diving catch to snare a line drive, then flipped with his glove to Sullivan at second to narrowly double off the runner who was attempting to scamper back to the bag. Suddenly, there were two outs with runners at the corners and Valpo leading by three, and Fulhorst recorded a strikeout to end it.
Inside the Game
- Pigeon had three hits after entering the day with one hit all season in limited duty. He finished a home run shy of the cycle.
- Maka's home run was his fifth of the season and the 21st of his collegiate career. He climbed into the program's all-time top 10, joining Dan Schrum (1999-2002), Jamie Sykes (1994-1997), Dale Polonus (1986-1988), Marc Boggio (1999-2003) and Sam Shaikin (2016-2019) as part of a tie for 10th in program history.
- Sullivan's home run was his seventh of the season and he finished the year with long balls in each of the final two games.
- Warfield homered in each of the final three games of the season after entering the series with three home runs all season. The three this weekend lifted his career total to eight.
- Valpo took two of three in the series, picking up its first series win since March 2024 vs. Bradley.
- Redshirt junior Adam Guazzo (Huntley, Ill. / Huntley) and Fulhorst each pitched scoreless innings, earning the win and save, respectively. Freshman Nick Baffa (Glenview, Ill. / Notre Dame College Prep) logged 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief. Starter Spencer Boynton (Tampa, Fla. / Seffner Christian) allowed four runs on five hits in four frames.
- Eight of the nine batters in the Valpo lineup had at least one hit.
- Warfield had a triple to go along with his home run, his third of the season.
- Valpo finished the season with a win for the first time since 2005 and ended the season with back-to-back victories for the first time since 1992.
