Southern Illinois University
17-6, 1-0
Northern Iowa
6-14, 0-1
Softball Defeats Northern Iowa 5-1 In MVC Opener
03/20/2004 | 12:00:00 | Softball
March 20, 2004
By Lou Antoine
SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois scored four runs in the first inning and went on to beat Northern Iowa 5-1 (6-14, 0-1 MVC) in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both teams on Saturday at West Stadium. The Salukis improved to 17-6, 1-0 in the MVC and remain unbeaten at home (8-0) in 2004.
"It was very important to jump out on her (UNI's Julie Gerdes) and get runs quickly was huge for us. Then you can relax a little, since you have a good lead. I feel like if we have a solid lead with any of our pitchers, we're in good shape," said Kerri Blaylock, SIU head coach.
The Salukis wasted little time moving toward their first MVC win. Amy Harre opened the game with her 400th career strikeout in a three-up, three-down top of the first. Lauren Roney led off the bottom of the inning with a single and moved to second on Lindsey Bonnell's sacrifice before the fireworks began.
Jenny Doehring followed with an infield single and Roney advanced to third. A rare illegal pitch moved Doehring to second and sent Roney home for the game's first run. Katie Jordan walked and Christina Andrews pinch ran for Jordan, setting up Haley Viefhaus, one of SIU's hottest hitters.
Viefhaus, who hit .500 last weekend at the Saluki Round Robin, doubled to rightfield to drive in Doehring for a 2-0 lead and move Andrews to third base. Adie Viefhaus followed with a sacrifice fly to rightfield to score Andrews, move sister Haley to third and push the advantage to 3-0. Katie Louis followed with her first double of the year, scoring Haley Viefhaus and giving the Salukis a 4-0 lead after one inning.
"Our power hitters Katie Jordan and Katie Louis did a good job today. They're getting better and if they swing at their pitches, they're as good as any hitters. We just want to build consistency," added Blaylock.
Northern Iowa scored it's lone run in the top of the third on two hits and an error, chasing Harre from the game after 2.1 innings. Alison Thompson (3-2) entered the game and allowed a hit to load the bases, but battled back to force a groundout and struck out the designated player to end the only threat by the Panthers.
Jordan, who hit .625 last weekend in the Saluki Round Robin, hit her fourth home run of the year with one out in the fifth inning to provide the final SIU run. The four homers ties her with Louis for the team lead.
"It was exciting and important to get off to a big start in the first inning and get that first MVC win. It's important for our whole line up and it's different people everyday. I didn't know that ball would be a home run, but it felt great to chip in today," said Jordan.
Thompson collected the win with 4.2 innings of two-hit relief. She struck out six and didn't walk a batter for the third straight appearance, improving to 3-2. Harre pitched 2.1 innings, allowed one hit, struck out three and walked two in a no-decision.
Northern Iowa's Julie Gerdes (2-5) allowed four runs, four hits and two walks in one inning, striking out one, before being relieved by Malinda McClintock. McClintock struck out six, walked one, allowed the Jordan home run and only three total hits in five innings of relief.
Haley Viefhaus (2-for-3, two doubles, RBI, run), Jordan (1-for-2, RBI, run), Louis (1-for-3, double, RBI), Doehring (1-for-3, run), Kelly Creek (1-for-1, two walks) and Adie Viefhaus (RBI) carried the Saluki offense.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Thompson (3-2)
L: Gerdes (2-5)
Batting:
2B: Ibekwe 1
RBI: Davis 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gerdes 1
HBP: Gierman 1
Batting:
2B: Viefhaus, H. 2 ; Louis 1
HR: Jordan 1
RBI: Jordan 1 ; Viefhaus, H. 1 ; Viefhaus, A. 1 ; Louis 1
SH: Bonnell 1 ; Carter 1
SF: Viefhaus, A. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Roney 1 ; Doehring 1 ; Jordan 1 ; Andrews 1 ; Viefhaus, H. 1
CS: Pepin 1
