Southern Illinois University
Drake
Softball Blanks Drake, 6-0, 3-1
03/23/2002 | 12:00:00 | Softball
March 23, 2002
Des Moines, Iowa - Southern Illinois (16-8, 5-0) extended its winning streak to five games after a 6-0, 3-1 sweep over Drake (3-22, 0-5) earlier today in a Missouri Valley Conference doubleheader.
The two wins lifted the Salukis to a perfect 5-0 mark in league play.
In game one, SIU scored a pair of runs in the top of the second inning when a Kelly Creek walk and a Jen Guenther single gave the Dawgs two early baserunners. Elissa Hopkins, who pinch ran for Creek was then singled home by Haley Viefhaus before Kendra Moore hit into a fielder's choice to plate Viefhaus. Viefhaus moved into scoring position after Karrie Fortman was hit by a pitch.
Up 2-0, the Salukis struck again in the top of the third when Katie Jordan delivered a lead off single. Creek SAC-bunted Jordan to second before a Guenther single put runners at the corners. A sacrifice fly by Viefhaus then scored Jordan to make it 3-0 in favor of the Dawgs.
SIU continued to pound away at the Bulldogs in the top of the fifth when a pair of walks led to another run which came home thanks to another single by Guenther. Adie Viefhaus drew a walk and stole second before a Jordan walk and a Creek SAC-bunt set things up.
Ahead by four, the Salukis slammed the door on the Bulldogs for good in the top of the sixth when a two-RBI double by Jordan iced the 6-0 shutout.
Amy Harre pitched the complete game shutout to improve to 8-4 on the season. In seven innings, Harre struck out four batters, was touched for four hits and gave up one walk.
Offensively, Guenther went a blistering 4-for-4 with one RBI, while Jordan went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI.
In the nightcap, back-to-back doubles by Jordan and Guenther gave the Salukis a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first after Maria Damico had singled and moved to second on a SAC-bunt by Saafir.
Up by two, Jami Weddle then drew a lead off walk in the bottom of the second where SIU would score another run. Elissa Hopkins, who entered to pinch run for Weddle, moved to second on a SAC-bunt by Tara Glasco. With one out, Hopkins took third on a slap hit by Moore before scoring on a Saafir single.
Three SIU errors allowed Drake to load the bases in the top of the sixth, but Harre relieved Katie Kloess to get out of the jam. Although the Bulldogs scored one unearned run, Harre calmly struck out one batter en route to her seventh save of the season as the Dawgs held on for the 3-1 win.
Prior to the pitching change, Kloess threw a one-hitter through 5.0 innings to earn her fourth win of the season. Kloess also had one strikeout as she now stands at 4-1 on the year.
The Salukis and Bulldogs, who were scheduled to complete their three-game series tomorrow, will not play due to impending wintery conditions.
SIU will return to action on Wednesday, March 27 when it hosts Saint Louis in a doubleheader at 2 p.m.
