CARBONDALE - Southern Illinois University pitcher Cody Adams went the distance to improve to 7-0 on the mound, and the Salukis got a big three-run home run from Dean Cademartori in the third inning in their 5-3 win over Illinois State Saturday.

SIU is 13-1 at Abe Martin Field this season, and the Salukis (18-6, 2-0 MVC) have won six straight and 17 of their last 20. SIU has a chance to sweep the series today.

"Dean put on a show in batting practice," SIU head coach Dan Callahan said. "He was sending ball after ball over the wall. He's been swinging the bat that well lately."

Cademartori finished 2-for-3 with four RBIs on the day.

ISU would strike first on the scoreboard, but not before a disputed foul ball created fireworks in the Redbirds' dugout in the top of the third inning.

With two outs and Mike Tokarski on third, Ryan Anetsberger knocked a shot that cleared the left-field fence, but was close to the foul pole. Third base umpire Bill McGuire ruled the hit a foul, which brought out head coach Jim Brownlee and assistant coach Tim Brownlee to argue the call.

After a lengthy discussion that continued when the teams switched sides, Tim Brownlee was tossed, as was Anetsberger, who may have had said something to home plate umpire Shane Friebe. Anetsberger is the Redbirds' best hitter.

"You cannot comment on the umpiring in the Missouri Valley Conference," Jim Brownlee said. "But they should not determine the outcome of the game."

"In the MVC they talk about two things - being approachable and getting the call right. That call they didn't get right."

The Redbirds did get a run out of the situation, when Anetsberger reached on an error by Adams that allowed Tokarski to cross the plate.

SIU would respond in its turn. Michael Finigan singled to open the frame, and Aaron Roberts added one of his own two batters later. That set the stage for Mark Kelly's RBI single that tied the game 1-1. Kelly finished 3-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 20 games.

Cademartori was next, sending the first pitch he faced from ISU starter Luke Baughman to deep left-center field for his fourth round-tripper of the season and a 4-1 SIU lead.

"I was just trying to get anything into the air," Cademartori said. "I think the runners were on first and third and I didn't want to hit anything on the ground. If it works out, it works out."

But the Redbirds hacked away at the deficit, adding runs in the fourth and fifth to cut the Salukis' lead to 4-3.

"They could have conceivably scored one run," Callahan said. "We gave away a run in the third and again in the fourth on the ground ball to Scott (Elmendorf) where we didn't execute the tag. It could have been a 5-1 game."

"I think Cody pitched well enough for it to be a 5-1 game."

The Salukis had a great chance to blow the game wide open in the fifth inning when it loaded the bases with nobody out. With Cademartori at the plate facing reliever Dan Sorce, Cademartori worked the count full and hit a ground ball that was mishandled by ISU in the infield. One run crossed the plate and Adam Hills was tagged out trying to make it two.

After Tyler Choate walked to reload the bases, Elmendorf hit into a double play to end the inning.

Adams and the Salukis blanked the Redbirds the rest of the way to take their second MVC win in as many tries.

"Any time you can say you won a series in this league, it's a good thing," Callahan said. "Now that we've won two, we can't be content. We need to come out today and make it our goal to be 3-0 in the league."

SIU will look to Shawn Joy (1-1) to try and complete the Salukis' first sweep of ISU in 17 years today. Joy got the job done in the Salukis' sweep of Western Michigan last weekend, and the junior left-hander will try and do it again.