Softball team goes undefeated in 2007 Saluki Invitational
09/16/2007 | 12:00:00 | Softball
Sept. 16, 2007
By Kyle Herm
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois University softball team went 2-0 in the second day of the 2007 Saluki Invitational on Sunday, Sept. 16 at Charlotte West Stadium to finish undefeated in the two days of competition for the second-straight year.
SIU beat Evansville, 6-0, and took down SIU-Edwardsville, 3-2, in the final day of the tournament to finish 4-0 overall. SIU also topped John A. Logan, 4-0, and IUPUI, 3-2, on Saturday, Sept. 15 in the first day of the tournament.
The Salukis took on Missouri Valley Conference opponent, Evansville in their first game on Sunday and used a combination of pitching from junior Katie McNamara and hitting from freshman Chelsea Held, junior Jayme Wamsley and senior Becky Wegmann to earn the victory.
McNamara did not allow an earned run on four hits and recorded five strikeouts in seven innings in the circle for the win. On offense, Held went 2-for-4 with an inside-the-park home run and four RBI, and Wamsley and Wegmann both went 2-for-3 at the plate.
In the second game with SIU designated as the visiting team, the Salukis and SIU-Edwardsville were tied 2-2 in the top of the seventh. With senior Tiffanie Dismore on third and senior Clare Ford on first base, senior Lauren Haas delivered an RBI single to give the Salukis a 3-2 advantage heading into the bottom of the seventh.
Freshman pitcher Nikki Waters closed out the Cougars in the final frame to give SIU the win. Waters gave up one hit in 1 1/3 innings of relief to earn the victory and Wegmann went 3-for-4 with a solo home run to lead the Saluki offense.
SIU head coach Kerri Blaylock was happy with how the Salukis played against tough competition on Sunday.
"We're really starting to come together as a team and we played very well today in all areas of the game, from pitching, to defense, to hitting," said Blaylock. "And we did it against two very good teams."
The softball team will close out their fall exhibition tournament schedule next Saturday, Sept. 22 and Sunday, Sept. 23 at the Kirkwood Fall Tournament in Kirkwood, Mo. SIU will face Missouri-Rolla at 11 a.m., Emporia State at 1 p.m. and Truman State at 5 p.m. on Saturday and take on Saint Louis University and Southeast Missouri State at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Sunday.
