Softball picks up two wins, two ties at Kirkwood Tournament
09/25/2006 | 12:00:00 | Softball
Sept. 25, 2006
By Matt Crouch
www.SIUSalukis.com
KIRKWOOD, Mo. - The Southern Illinois University softball team wrapped up fall play last weekend, going 2-0-2 at the Kirkwood Invitational to finish the fall season with a 9-0-2 record.
The Salukis picked up wins over Truman State and McKendree College while tying against Saint Louis and Illinois State.
"I thought we started off a little sluggish again on Saturday, but Sunday was a very good offensive performance for us," said SIU head coach Kerri Blaylock.
The offensive burst for the Salukis came in the first game on Sunday, an 18-2 rout of McKendree College.
The Kirkwood Invitational was the third of SIU's three fall tournaments. The Salukis posted a 4-0 record at the Illinois State Tournanent before coming home and going 3-0 at the Saluki Invitational.
SIU was originally scheduled to play five games at the Kirkwood Tournament, but Southeast Missouri pulled out, thereby cutting SIU's schedule down to four games.
In the tournament opener for SIU, the Salukis beat Truman State 5-1 in five innings.
Senior pitcher Ashley Hamby earned the win for Southern, striking out 10 batters and allowing only three hits.
Freshman Alicia Garza led the way at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two RBI. Tiffanie Dismore followed up with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate.
In the second game on Saturday, SIU finished in a 1-1 tie with Saint Louis. The game was called a tie after the time limit ran out.
Senior Cassidy Scoggins pitched the tie for SIU, striking out six batters.
Again it was Dismore and Garza leading the Salukis on offense. Dismore was 3-for-3 while Garza was 2-for-3 with a RBI.
In Sunday's opener, though, the entire team got involved in the offense as SIU picked up the 182 win over McKendree College.
Dismore, Lauren Haas and Jayme Wamsley all went 2-for-3 in the game. Wamsley had a double with five RBI and Dismore had a RBI while scoring three of SIU's 18 runs. Haas also contributed a RBI to the total.
Senior Amanda Clifton and Allie Hanson came out with the big bats in the win as each had a home run in the game.
Sophomore pitcher Katie McNamara picked up the win for SIU. She only gave up five hits while striking out two batters.
In SIU's final game of the tournament, the Salukis came from behind to pick up the 5-5 tie over Missouri Valley Conference rival Illinois State.
It was again Scoggins coming up with the tie. She struck out eight batters in the game while giving up eight hits.
Dismore and Haas each went 2-for-4 in the game and Krystal Stein went 1-for-4.
Stein's lone hit came in a crucial situation in the seventh inning as her triple down the left-field line scored two out of SIU's three runs in the inning, helping to tie the game.
Freshman Katie Wilson also went 1-for-3 in the game with a home run and two RBI.
"The fall is a good start to build a team," said Blaylock. "You try to infuse the newcomers with the veterans and see who steps up as leaders."
The Salukis finish the fall season with a 9-0-2 record. The 2007 season is set to begin Feb. 9 against North Carolina-Greensboro at the Jacksonville University Tournament.
SIU is coming off a 35-13 record in the 2006 season and its fourth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
