Southern Illinois University
vs. Evansville (MVC Tournament)
Softball Falls to Evansville, 10-3
05/09/2002 | 12:00:00 | Softball
May 9, 2002
Normal, Ill. - Haven Shank went 3-for-4 with a triple, three runs scored and two RBI, while Brooke Luker, Emily Winters, Trish Wetzel and Samantha Doner all had two hits apiece to lead Evansville (31-24) to a 10-3 win over Southern Illinois (31-16) earlier tonight at the MVC Tournament.
The first-round loss marked the Salukis' second straight in two years at the tournament.
Pitchers Amy Harre and Katie Markle were getting what they expected early on as each were forcing hitters into plenty of groundball outs.
After both hurlers dueled to scoreless first and second innings, SIU took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third when Tahira Saafir touched home on a two-out single by Haley Viefhaus. Prior to Viefhaus' hit, Saafir had reached on an error by Doner and moved to second on a SAC-bunt by Adie Viefhaus.
The Salukis' one-run lead didn't last for long as the Purple Aces exploded for three runs on four hits in the top of the fourth.
Shank, Luker and Jamie Davison each tagged the league's Rookie of the Year (Harre) for one hit apiece to quickly load the bases with no one out. Bridget Broerman then struck out, but a wild pitch by Harre on the third strike allowed Shank to score.
While Harre continued to struggle, Trish Wetzel kept the Evansville rally going with a two-RBI double to right center which extended the Aces' lead to 3-1.
Down, but not out, the Salukis answered the stunning Evansville attack with one more run in the bottom of the fifth.
Jami Weddle led off the frame with a pinch-hit double to left. Elissa Hopkins, who pinch ran for Weddle, moved to second on a SAC-bunt by Saafir and scored on a single by A. Viefhaus which narrowed the Purple Aces' margin to 3-2.
Despite what turned out to be a minor threat, Evansville destroyed any other comeback hopes the Dawgs may have had with a four-run sixth.
Harre, who came back to pitch after being replaced by Renee Mueller in the previous frame, was immediately touched for a single by Doner. Prior to Doner's hit Wetzel had singled and Nicole Chatman drew a walk. With one out and two runners on, Winters delivered a rip to score both Wetzel and Jennifer Mann (pinch ran for Chatman) as Evansville took a 5-2 lead.
An error by Harre then enabled Kate Walker (pinch ran for Doner) to score and a Bridget Broerman single plated Shank to push the Aces' lead to 7-2.
When it appeared as if Evansville was done punishing SIU, the disaster continued in the top of the seventh as a pair of triples (Doner, Shank) and another single by Winters scored three more runs to complete the 10-3 win even though the Salukis would plate one final run in their last at-bat.
Harre, who saw her eight-game winning streak on the mound come to an end, fell to 18-9 on the season. In six innings pitched, she was touched for 12 hits and seven earned runs, while striking out four.
Markle (16-11) earned the win after striking out three batters on a two-hitter. Casey Clutch, who pitched the last three innings for the Purple Aces picked up her third save.
SIU will return to action when it faces Illinois State tomorrow at 10 a.m. If the Dawgs lose, they will be eliminated from the tournament.
Postgame Thoughts from Kerri Blaylock:
"I was proud of how we came out today at the beginning, but Amy [Harre] didn't throw the ball well. I believe that we have the pitching that can still beat anybody in this tournament. It was an abnormal performance, but it is still anybody's tournament."
