Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
Sw Missouri St
Hallahan's Home Run Lifts SIU Past SMS
05/01/2001 | 12:00:00 | Softball
April 13, 2001
Senior first baseman Netty Hallahan hit a solo home run in the top of the first inning to lead Southern Illinois University Carbondale to a 1-0 win over Southwest Missouri State Friday in Missouri Valley Conference action at IAW Fields.
Hallahan drove the third pitch of the game deep over the leftfield wall to post her second home run of the season.
In what would prove to be the only run of the game, Hallahan led off the first with a 1-1 count before she blasted the solo shot. Following the homer, SIU and SMS then went scoreless for the final five and a half innings.
Both teams struggled offensively as the Salukis (4) and Bears (3) combined for just seven hits in the game while leaving a total of 11 runners on base. Behind the solid pitching of Stremsterfer, who sent SMS three-up and three-down in both the third and fourth innings, the Bears would get one runner in the fifth when Larissa Shepherd walked. Coming up empty in the fifth, however, Southwest Missouri's Amy Crittendon reached on an error by third baseman Julie Meier to start the sixth. Following a SAC bunt by Amanda Bean and a single by Jessica Gorham, the Bears then had runners on the corners before Stremsterfer would strike out both Jami Canada and Deanna Keim to end the rally as SIU held on to the 1-0 win.
Meier, Stremsterfer, Hallahan, and Amanda Rexroat each had one hit apiece to pace the Salukis offensively. Stremsterfer also picked up the win on the mound to improver to 19-4 on the year. She struck out six batters in seven innings pitched. Jessica Davis took the fall for SMS dropping to 1-10 on the hill this season.
Southern Illinois, now 27-11, 11-3 in the MVC, will conclude its three-game series with Southwest Missouri State in a noon doubleheader on Saturday, Apr. 14.
