Softball Slams Southern Mississippi, 9-3
02/15/2002 | 12:00:00 | Softball
Feb. 15, 2002
Starkville, Miss. - Freshman Kelly Creek went 4-for-4 with four RBI to lead Southern Illinois (1-0) to a 9-3 win over Southern Mississippi (2-1) this morning at the Mississippi State Bulldog Classic.
Creek led five Salukis who collected multiple hits, including Haley Viefhaus (2-for-4), Maria Damico (3-for-4), Katie Jordan (2-for-4) and Elissa Hopkins (2-for-4).
SIU scored four runs in the top of the first inning off seven singles. The Salukis also added a run in the second when Creek singled to center to score Damico, making it 5-0 in favor of the Dawgs.
Southern Mississippi would get on the scoreboard in the fourth, when a Amanda Brown single scored Auriel Jenkins and Heather Bell. Bell then came up in the fifth and blasted a shot beyond the 220-mark in straight centerfield marking the Lady Eagles' first home run of the season.
Leading 5-3, Damico headed to the plate for the Salukis in the sixth and delivered a solo shot which also cleared the wall in center. Creek then picked up her fourth RBI of the game, when her single up the middle scored Jordan.
Holding a commanding 7-3 advantage, the Dawgs added two more runs in the seventh thanks to a Viefhaus single which scored Karrie Fortman. Viefhaus' then scored off a Laura Smith error to seal the 9-3 win.
Katie Kloess (1-0) picked up the win as the Salukis' starter inside the circle. Kloess struck out three batters in 5.0 innings pitched before freshman Amy Harre entered in relief to throw the final 2.0 innings.