Southern Illinois University
4-1
Minnesota
4-1
Softball downs Minnesota 6-4, improves to 4-1
02/11/2007 | 12:00:00 | Softball
Feb. 11, 2007
By Matt Crouch
www.SIUSalukis.com
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - After giving up an early lead to Big Ten member Minnesota, the Southern Illinois University softball team held the Golden Gophers scoreless for the final four innings of the game, taking away a 6-4 win at the Jacksonville University Tournament.
The Salukis improve to 4-1 on the season with the win while Minnesota falls to 4-1. SIU and Minnesota finish the tournament with identical 4-1 records, but with the Saluki win over the Golden Gophers, Southern leaves as the tournament champion. SIU's lone loss came against North Carolina-Greensboro on Friday.
Coupled with SIU's impressive pitching and defense in the final four innings, the Salukis were just as impressive on the offensive end.
SIU racked up 12 hits in the game, four of which were doubles. Only four times during the 2006 season did the Salukis tally 12 or more hits in a game.
The Golden Gophers struck first in the top of the second inning as first baseman Lisa Parks sent a solo shot to center field.
The Salukis responded in the bottom of the second as Jayme Wamsley's walk was followed by back-to-back base hits by Becky Wegmann and Katie Wagner, scoring Clare Ford who was pinch-running for Wamsley.
Minnesota again took the lead in the top of the third inning as with two outs Katie Meyer hit a double to right-center, scoring two Golden Gophers to take a 3-1 lead.
Following Meyer's hit, Saluki starter Cassidy Scoggins was pulled in favor of sophomore Katie McNamara. McNamara gave up a hit to Parks, scoring Meyer from second base, but got the out on her second batter to close out the inning.
SIU again responded in the bottom of the third with a pair of runs from four-straight base hits to cut Minnesota's lead to 4-3.
After Lauren Haas opened the inning with a ground out to second base, Amanda Clifton gave the Salukis a baserunner as she hit a double to left-center. Katie Wilson followed with a base hit, setting up Wamsley and her doubled down the right-field line to score Wilson and Katie Schmidt, who was pinch running for Clifton.
Southern took its first lead of the game, 5-4, in the bottom of the fourth inning as Haas sent a long double to right-center, scoring Krystal Stein and Tiffanie Dismore. Stein led off the inning with a walk and was immediately joined on base by Dismore who beat out the throw after her slap to third base.
SIU extended the lead to 6-4 in the sixth inning as Haas picked up her third RBI of the day, scoring Alicia Garza from second base with a single to right-center. Garza got on base with a double down the left-field line.
Ashley Hamby earns the win for the Salukis, improving her record to a perfect 3-0, after taking over for McNamara in the fourth inning. In her four innings of action, Hamby struck out five Golden Gophers while giving up only one hit and one walk.
Scoggins, who had the start for SIU, finished the game with one strikeout in 2.2 innings of action. She gave up four hits and four runs, all of which were earned. McNamara gave up two hits from the three batters that she faced.
Briana Hassett takes the loss for Minnesota. She gave up nine hits and five runs, all earned, in her 3.1 innings of action. Rene Konderick finished the game for Hassett, giving up three hits and one run.
The Salukis return to action Friday, Feb. 16 at the Crowne Plaza Classic in Houston. SIU opens the tournament with Big Ten member Indiana at 11 a.m.
NOTES: With her win on Sunday, Ashley Hamby improves to 3-0 on the season and 21-3 in her career. By picking up her 21st win, Ashley Hamby is eligible for the career winning percentage list; a list that she enters at the top. Hamby's career record of 21-3 gives her a career winning percentage .875.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hamby, Ashley (3-0)
L: Hassett (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Meyer 1
HR: Parks 1
RBI: Meyer 2 ; Parks 2
SH: Conway 1 ; Powers 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Higginbotham 1 ; Meyer 1 ; Parks 1 ; Powers 1
Batting:
2B: Garza, Alicia 1 ; Haas, Lauren 1 ; Clifton, Amanda 1 ; Wamsley, Jayme 1
RBI: Haas, Lauren 3 ; Wamsley, Jayme 2 ; Wagner, Katie 1
SH: Garza, Alicia 1 ; Haas, Lauren 1 ; Clifton, Amanda 1 ; Wagner, Katie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Dismore, Tiffanie 1 ; Garza, Alicia 1 ; Schmidt, Katie 1 ; Wilson, Katie 1 ; Ford, Clare 1 ; Stein, Krystal 1
SB: Wilson, Katie 1
