One inning plagued the Valparaiso University baseball team as a 10-run third for SIUE was the difference in a 13-3, seven-inning defeat in Friday's series opener in Edwardsville, Ill.
 
How It Happened

• Valpo struck first in the opening inning as redshirt freshman Javin Gauthier (De Pere, Wis. / De Pere) and redshirt junior Thomas Cooper (Brentwood, Tenn. / Ravenwood) had back-to-back doubles, the second of which pushed across two runs to start the scoring. Later in the inning, redshirt senior Gavin Bennett (Libertyville, Ill. / Libertyville) stroked a two-out, run-scoring single that extended the lead to 3-0.
• Redshirt junior Adam Guazzo (Huntley, Ill. / Huntley) opened on the mound for the Beacons and left after two scoreless innings in which he yielded just two hits. He snagged a line drive to record the final out of the second inning, keeping Valpo in front 3-0.
• The third inning started with an error and a walk, then SIUE got on the board with a double that carried with the wind to right. The Cougars added two on a bloop single to right that tied the game at three. The Cougars continued to pour it on in that inning, totaling 10 runs on four hits, two errors, four walks and two hit batters.
• Senior Hunter Frost (Farmington, Minn. / Farmington) worked a scoreless fourth, but the Cougars added three runs in the bottom of the fifth, extending the lead to 13-3. All three runners who crossed the dish in the fifth reached via free passes, two on walks and one on an HBP.
• Freshman RHP Cayden Ray (Owensboro, Ky. / Owensboro) took over in the bottom of the sixth and flipped a scoreless inning.

Inside the Game

• Gauthier led the Beacons with two hits, his fifth multi-hit game on the young season.
• Guazzo has logged seven scoreless innings over his last three starts.
• SIUE held a narrow 9-8 edge in the hit column.
• Free bases hurt the Beacons as Valpo walked seven, hit four batters and committed two errors.
• SIUE pitcher Tim Teixeira struck out eight and walked none in a seven-inning complete game.

Up Next
The Beacons (5-9) will continue the series at 1 p.m. on Saturday against the Cougars. Visit valpoathletics.com for a link to live stats.