Southern Illinois University
UMass (Florida State Invite)
Softball Sweeps in Day One of Seminole Invitational
03/08/2002 | 12:00:00 | Softball
March 8, 2002
Tallahassee, Fla. - Southern Illinois (10-4) scored five runs in the top of the seventh inning to post a 5-3 come-from-behind victory over Massachussetts (7-6) which completed a two-game sweep in the first day of the Florida State Seminole Invitational. SIU also defeated Providence (3-10) earlier in the day by a score of 4-1.
When you keep putting runners on base, eventually they are going to score, and that is exactly what happened to SIU after it stranded a total of 24 baserunners between the two games. The Salukis, who came away empty on four previous bases loaded situations, juiced the bags one final time in their last at-bat and merely stunned the Minutewomen.
After SIU starter Renee Mueller threw a one-hitter through the game's first four innings, Kaila Holtz singled to begin the bottom of the fifth. Jamie Cahalan followed with a SAC-bunt which moved Holtz over to second before back-to-back singles by Ashley Bekken and Nicole Wilson helped give UMass a one-run advantage.
Emily Robustelli then scattered an infield single to bring home both Wilson and Anna Perey as the Minutewomen took a 3-0 lead.
Hits by Katie Jordan and Haley Viefhaus helped SIU load the bases in the top of the sixth, but three straight outs following the quick burst quieted the Saluki threat.
With one last chance in the top of the seventh, the Dawgs joined forces and put together what ranks among the best comebacks in school history.
Junior Kendra Moore beat out a grounder to third to lead things off and was moved to second on a walk by Tahira Saafir. With runners on first and second, Kelly Creek reached on a fielder's choice which sat Moore down after a force at third.
With one away, Katie Jordan singled to left to load the bases for the Salukis' fifth time of the day. The Viefhaus sisters then came up big again as each singled consecutively to bring home both Saafir and Kloess (pinch ran for Creek) narrowing the UMass lead to 3-2.
Freshman Maria Damico then stepped in and delivered a two-RBI bloop single to center which gave the Salukis their first lead of the day before a 1-3 ground out by Jen Guenther plated Adie Viefhaus for the 5-3 win.
Mueller (3-2) pitched six innings allowing six hits, while being touched for three earned runs. After SIU's shocking rally, Mueller was replaced by Amy Harre who calmly recorded the game's final three outs to pick up her sixth save of the season. Holtz (3-3), who currently throws for the Canadian National Team, suffered the loss for the Minutewomen. Holtz went the distance striking out four batters in 36 faced.
Earlier in the day, A. Viefhaus went 3-for-4 to lead SIU against Providence as the Salukis used a two-run second inning to spark its 4-1 win.
Jordan, who began the SIU at-bat with a walk and reached second on a wild pitch, was brought home by H. Viefhaus. Following a SAC-bunt by Guenther which moved H. Viefhaus to second, H. Viefhaus then scored compliments of a single from her sister which gave the Dawgs a 2-0 lead.
A pair of errors in the top of the third allowed SIU to add to its lead as Damico scored on the Friar miscues. Jordan, who reached on a walk in the fifth, then scored the Salukis' final run when a pinch hit walk by Creek sent her home.
Harre pitched 5.1 innings with a season-high 10 strikeouts to move to 4-2 on the season. Harre struck out nine of the Friars' last 13 batters en route to her second straight win.
Offensively, A. Viefhaus spearheaded the Salukis for the day going 5-for-8 with two RBI and one runs scored.
SIU will conclude pool play tomorrow morning against Southeastern Louisiana at 9 a.m.
