Southern Illinois University
Wichita St
Salukis Take Two From Shockers, Improve to 21-9
04/16/2001 | 12:00:00 | Softball
March 31, 2001
Southern Illinois University took advantage of 11 walks en route to a two-game sweep over Wichita State University (14-14, 4-3) winning by scores of 8-4, 3-1 Saturday in Missouri Valley Conference softball action at IAW Fields.
Wichita State pitcher Amanda Cave struggled to find the plate in the first game as she gave up four walks which enabled SIU to build a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning as the Salukis would bat around. Jen Guenther took Cave's first free ticket to lead things off and was moved to second on a Erin Stremsterfer walk. Marta Viefhaus then got on compliments of a bunt single which quickly loaded the bases with no one out. After Julie Meier struck out swinging, Elissa Hopkins flied out to center to send home Guenther. A catcher's interference then put Karrie Fortman on to juice the bags for the second time in the inning. With two out, Cave walked Hallahan and Haley Viefhaus to score two more runs before Amanda Rexroat would step in to deliver a double to left center capping off the huge rally.
The Salukis scored three more in the fourth inning when Hopkins started things off with yet another walk by Cave. Fortman then followed with a bunt single and Hallahan laid down a SAC bunt to put runners at second and third with one away. H. Viefhaus then smacked a two-bagger to left scoring both Hopkins and Fortman before the inning came to an end with a sacrifice fly by Guenther which gave SIU a 8-0 lead.
Down, but certainly not out, Wichita State battled back to score one run in the fifth which was set up thanks to a Lisa Clary double. A SAC bunt by Tracy LaMontague then put Clary on third who would score shortly after a wild pitch by Stremsterfer cutting the lead to 8-1.
Consecutive singles by Andrea Kleckner and Patti Oleson put runners at first and second to begin the Wichita State seventh before Clary blasted a rocket which easily cleared the leftfield wall to pull the Shockers to within four at 8-4. The homer was just the second this season given up by Stremsterfer who then beared down to strike out two straight before forcing a groundout to third which ended the game at 8-4.
Stremsterfer moved to 15-2 on the mound pitching the distance with 11 strikeouts while being touched for four earned runs. The runs snapped a streak of 73.2 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run. Rexroat went 2-for-3 with a two-RBI double while H. Viefhaus went 1-for-3 with one run scored and three RBI to lead the Dawgs offensively.
Although combining for eight hits, the Shockers could only muster one run in the nightcap as Oleson took SIU hurler Katie Kloess deep over the leftfield wall for a solo home run to give WSU a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second.
Going scoreless for its first three innings, SIU then rallied in the fourth when Guenther singled to left center and scored on a double by Stremsterfer to knot the game at 1-1. Following a M. Viefhaus strikeout, Meier then singled to drive home Stremsterfer to give the Dawgs a 2-1 lead.
Hallahan then led off the fifth with a walk and was moved to second on a wild pitch. H. Viefhaus then bunted Hallahan over to third before another wild pitch allowed Hallahan to come home to clinch the 3-1 win.
Kloess won the decision on the mound to move to 5-4 as she lasted 4.0 innings while striking out five. Stremsterfer then came in to throw in relief pitching the final three innings with four strikeouts to pick up her third save of the season. Guenther, Stremsterfer, and Meier each had one hit to make up SIU's three hits for the game.
The Salukis, now 21-9, 7-1, will conclude their three-game series with the Shockers Sunday in a single game at noon.
