Arkansas State defeated Southern Illinois 11-5 on April 14 in Carbondale, improving its record to 22-14 for the season. The Red Wolves took control early with a six-run second inning and maintained their lead throughout the game at Itchy Jones Stadium.
The win is significant as it marks another road victory for Arkansas State, helping to build momentum as the team continues its season. Early offense and strong pitching contributed to the outcome.
Redshirt junior Ckyler Tengler started on the mound for his first appearance of the season, retiring all three batters in order in the opening frame. The Red Wolves’ offense ignited in the second inning with a leadoff double and single before Patrick Enskov hit his seventh home run of the year, giving Arkansas State a quick 3-0 advantage. Evan Griffis later cleared the bases with a double, bringing in three more runs to make it 6-0 after two innings.
Jelle van der Lelie pitched through the third and fourth innings, allowing only one hit and striking out one batter without surrendering any runs. Southern Illinois responded in the fifth inning by scoring three runs but was unable to close the gap significantly. Arkansas State extended its lead with additional runs from Enskov’s triple and Griffis’s sacrifice fly, finishing with an 11-5 victory.
Tengler earned his first win of the season while Alec Ammerman took the loss for Southern Illinois. Arkansas State will continue its road trip with a series against ULM in Monroe, Louisiana beginning Friday, April 17 at 6 p.m.
