Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Softball Heads to Drake for Three-Game Series
03/21/2002 | 12:00:00 | Softball
March 21, 2002
Carbondale, Ill.--Currently on a three-game winning streak, Southern Illinois (14-8, 3-0) returns to Missouri Valley Conference action this weekend when it heads to Des Moines, Iowa to face Drake (3-20, 0-3) on Saturday-Sunday, March 23-24. The three-game series will begin with a 1 p.m., doubleheader on Saturday before concluding with a single game at noon on Sunday.
SIU opened its league slate last week with a three-game sweep of Northern Iowa (Mar. 16-17). The Salukis, who went extra innings in two of their three contests with the Panthers, won by scores of 1-0 (10), 3-2 (8) and 1-0.
Although banged up, SIU has been finding ways to win as it is led by the injured Elissa Hopkins who remains atop the Salukis batting .308 despite being out for a month. Freshman Maria Damico follows with a .262 average which includes a couple doubles and five RBI. Katie Jordan, who hit a game-winning home run against Northern Iowa (5/17) then rounds out the top three batting .255 with two round-trippers, five RBI and 12 runs scored.
Meanwhile, Drake is led by junior infielder Brook Buchanan who is batting .433. In 22 starts, Buchanan has scored 11 runs, scattered 29 hits, belted six doubles and posted three RBI.
SIU leads the all-time series against Drake, 31-13-1, and has won the last eight straight games over the Bulldogs.
