Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Softball splits two games in first day of Saluki Invitational
09/13/2008 | 12:00:00 | Softball
Sept. 13, 2008
By Kyle Herm
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois softball team split a pair of exhibition games Saturday afternoon at Charlotte West Stadium in the first day of the Saluki Invitational.
SIU edged Tennessee-Martin 1-0 in the first game, before dropping its second game to SIU-Edwardsville, 3-2.
The Saluki pitching staff combined for a stellar opening to the fall exhibition season. The three Southern Illinois hurlers did not give up an earned run in 13 innings with six strikeouts.
Southern Illinois 1 Tennessee-Martin 0
Sophomore right-hand pitcher Danielle Glosson threw a complete-game two-hit shutout with three strikeouts in the first game to keep the Skyhawk offense silent.
The Saluki offense, which was also held quiet for a majority of the game, broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Freshman Haley Gorman led-off with a single and stole second base to move into scoring position. Following a walk by junior Alicia Garza, senior third baseman Katie Wagner deliver the eventual game-winning RBI-single to right field.
Glosson went on to shutdown UT-Martin in the top of the seventh to secure the Salukis first win of the fall, 1-0.
Gorman went 2-for-3 with a run and stolen base, Wagner went 1-for-3 and freshman Mallory Duran went 1-for-1 with two sacrifices to lead the SIU offense.
SIU-Edwardsville 3 Southern Illinois 2
Southern Illinois, who was designated as the visiting team, had another strong pitching performance, but was only able to scrap together two hits in a 3-2 loss to SIU-Edwardsville.
Sophomore Nikki Waters and senior lefty Katie McNamara combined to only surrender three hits, but three Saluki errors proved to be the difference to make all three SIUE runs unearned.
Southern Illinois took a 2-0 lead early with a two-RBI triple from senior Katie Wagner in the top of the first, however Edwardsville answered quickly in the bottom of the second.
Following an SIU error, the Cougars rattled off an RBI single from Amanda Pucel, RBI double from Chaleen Rumpf and RBI single by Courtney Mall to regain the lead that they would not give up, 3-2.
After the first inning, Edwardsville sophomore starter Erika Taylor did not allow another Saluki hit to preserve the win.
Southern Illinois will play IUPUI at 12 p.m. and John A. Logan College at 4 p.m. on Sunday to conclude the Saluki Invitational.
