Southern Illinois University
Illinois St
Top-Seeded Illinois State Eliminates SIU
06/21/2001 | 12:00:00 | Softball
May 11, 2001
Omaha, Neb.--Sophomore third baseman Becky McMurtry went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles, two runs scored and one RBI to lead top-seeded Illinois State University to a 5-2 win over third-seeded Southern Illinois Saturday in the Missouri Valley Conference Softball Championship at Creighton Sports Complex.
The loss knocked SIU out of the double elimination tournament and ended the Salukis' 2001 campaign at 36-19 overall and 17-9 in league play.
Illinois State took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first when Shae Wesley was hit by a pitch to lead game. Bridget Fournie then reached compliments of an error by SIU third baseman Julie Meier before McMurtry delivered a double to left to score Wesley. With one out, April Schermann then flew out to center deep enough to allow Fournie to come home on a sacrifice before a single by Jamie Bagnall capped off the three-run route.
McMurtry then led off the Redbird third with her second double of the game. After a ground out to short by Schermann moved McMurtry over to third, Saluki hurler Erin Stremsterfer threw a pitch in the dirt which rolled to the backstop enabling McMurtry to score.
Up 4-0, the Salukis rallied in the bottom of the fourth when Stremsterfer led off with a solo home run to right. After a Marta Viefhaus pop up to short and a strikeout by Meier, Elissa Hopkins launched a homer to right center to cut the Redbird lead to 4-2.
One more ISU run in the top of the fifth then iced the 5-2 victory when a fielder's choice scored Fournie who had led off the frame with an infield single.
Stremsterfer went 2-for-3 with a homer, one run scored and one RBI to pace the Salukis. Katie Kloess, who lasted 1.1 innings, suffered the loss on the mound to finish the 2001 season at an even 7-7. Stremsterfer then pitched 5.2 innings of relief which included two strikeouts and two earned runs.
