Southern Illinois University
23-6, 5-0
Drake
14-13, 2-3
Softball Beats Drake 7-3, Completes Weekend Sweep
03/28/2004 | 12:00:00 | Softball
March 28, 2004
By Lou Antoine
SIUSalukis.com
DES MOINES, Iowa - Junior Katie Jordan hit her first career grand slam, leading Southern Illinois (23-6, 5-0 MVC) to a 7-3 come-from-behind win over Drake (14-13, 2-3 MVC), completing an MVC doubleheader sweep on Sunday at Buel Field.
"After they took the lead, we came back and put the game away. I was proud of the team today, these were two good wins. I thought if we took two out of three on our first road trip, that would be good, but we won the only two we played and that's better for the winning percentage," said Kerri Blaylock, SIU head coach.
SIU scored in its first at bat, following a Samantha Carter walk, a Jenny Doehring single, a Jordan single and a sacrifice fly by Haley Viefhaus to take a 1-0 lead.
Drake took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth inning with two runs on three hits against Saluki starter Cassidy Scoggins. The Bulldogs picked up two one-out singles before a two-run double by Katie Wappler.
That set the stage for Jordan's first career grand slam. In the bottom of the fifth inning Amanda Clifton led off with a double and Lindsey Bonnell came in to pinch run. Bonnell stole third and SIU followed with consecutive ground outs. Carter and Doehring walked to load the bases for Jordan, who crushed a 3-2 pitch to leftfield for a 5-2 Saluki lead.
"Amanda Clifton set the tone for the inning with the leadoff double that started everything. Katie Jordan did a fantastic job after being down 0-2 in the count to hit her first career grand slam and spark the team's comeback," Blaylock added.
Southern's Cassidy Scoggins allowed five hits through five innings before Drake's Lindsay Larry singled to open the top of the sixth inning, chasing Scoggins from the game. Alison Thompson came on in relief for the second straight game for the Salukis. After a single by DU's Jenna Wilkin, SIU's Doehring started a key double play to get the first two outs of the inning. Drake's Katie Wappler then reached on a Doehring error allowing Larry to score and cut the lead to 5-3. Thompson forced a pop up to end the inning and Drake's last threat.
The Salukis responded with two more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Katie Louis singled to lead off the inning and Kelly Creek sacrificed her over to second base, chasing Drake starter Katie Shimon. Adie Viefhaus singled in her only at bat of the game, driving in Louis for a 6-3 lead. After an out, Lauren Roney singled with two outs to drive in Adie Viefhaus for the final run and a 7-3 lead.
After allowing a single to start the seventh, Thompson struck out two batters and forced a pop out to end the game, picking up her second save of the year. She pitched two innings, allowed two hits and struck out two.
Scoggins (7-2) allowed six hits, three runs and a walk with one strikeout to pick up her seventh win of the year.
"Cassidy (Scoggins) gave us another five good innings and Alison (Thompson) was able to shut the door. We felt that Alison's role would be like a closer and she did that today," Blaylock stated.
Drake's Shimon (3-5) allowed five hits, six runs and four walks without a strikeout to get the loss.
Offensively, Jordan (1-for-2, grand slam, 4 RBI, run), Doehring (1-for-2, run), Louis (1-for-3, run), Adie Viefhaus (1-for-1, run, RBI), Roney (1-for-4, RBI), Clifton (1-for-2, double) and Creek (1-for-2) carried the Salukis.
Next for SIU, the Salukis travel to Tennessee-Martin for a doubleheader at 2 p.m. on Thursday, April 1.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Scoggins (7-2)
L: Shimon (3-5)
S: Thompson (2)
Batting:
2B: Wappler 1
RBI: Wappler 2
SH: Shimon 1 ; Wood 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Larry 1 ; Wilkin 1 ; Bouaphakeo 1
SB: Wilkin 1
CS: DeShaw 1
PO: Wilkin 1
Batting:
2B: Clifton 1
HR: Jordan 1
RBI: Roney 1 ; Jordan 4 ; Viefhaus, H. 1 ; Viefhaus, A. 1
SH: Creek 1
SF: Viefhaus, H. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Carter 2 ; Doehring 1 ; Jordan 1 ; Louis 1 ; Bonnell 1 ; Viefhaus, A. 1
SB: Bonnell 1
