Schmidt hits walk-off homer to sweep Missouri State

Saturday, April 11

Carbondale, Ill.

1:00 PM

Southern Illinois University

24-7, 8-3

Missouri State

15-17, 5-6

Missouri State

Southern Illinois

04/11/2009 | 12:00:00 | Softball

Box Score

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

April 11, 2009

By Kyle Herm
www.SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Senior outfielder Katie Schmidt hit a two-out walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to complete No. 24 Softball's (24-7, 9-3) doubleheader sweep of Missouri State by scores of 2-0 and 1-0 (15-18, 5-7) Saturday at Charlotte West Stadium.

Schmidt's homer was the icing on the cake to an all-around day for the Salukis, who out-hit Missouri State 13-4, and continued their conference-best win streak to seven games.

Sophomore Nikki Waters opened with a complete-game, three-hitter with six strikeouts, and sophomore Danielle Glosson followed with a complete-game one-hit shutout.

The pair of shutouts were also the team's 11th and 12th of the season, after having nine all of last year.

"I thought Nikki (Waters) did a great job and was in control by hitting her spots," said head coach Kerri Blaylock. "Then Danielle (Glosson) followed with a one-hitter and showed great presence on the mound right after throwing at Mizzou. The two did a great job today."

In addition to stellar pitching, Southern's lower portion of its lineup provided a spark at the plate.

Junior Allie Hanson, batting in the No. 7 spot, had a double in both games, No. 8 hitter Jayme Wamsley went 1-for-2 with a RBI-single in game one, and No. 9 batter Alicia Junker recorded a career-high two hits in the opener.

Schmidt was also batting sixth when she clubbed the game-winning home run.

"They (bottom of the lineup) did a great job of going in there and competing," Blaylock said. "Allie (Hanson) really stepped up after we challenged her to change her mind set and she came through and did a great job."

The Salukis will look to keep the momentum going this week at Tennessee-Martin at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, before heading to Omaha, Neb. next Saturday and Sunday, April 18-19 for a three-game series at first-place Creighton.

Game One --#24 Southern Illinois 2 Missouri State 0
Sophomore Nikki Waters won her sixth-straight in a complete-game, three-hit effort to give the Salukis a 2-0 victory.

Waters also improved to 10-1 on the season and tallied six strikeouts, but had to work out of a slight conundrum in the top of the seventh.

Missouri State loaded the bases behind a lead-off double, Saluki defensive miscue and a walk with one out, but Waters responded to retire the speedy Ashley Arbon and Christa Gammons to secure the shutout win.

Southern Illinois constructed its lead in the fourth inning after stranding a base runner in each of the first three innings.

With a runner on first and second and one out, designated player Allie Hanson roped a RBI-double into the left field corner for the go-ahead and eventual game-winning run. Senior catcher Jayme Wamsley followed with a RBI-single to left field in the next at bat to score Katie Schmidt from third for the final score, 2-0.

Lauren Supak allowed eight hits in six innings with five strikeouts in the loss.

Game Two--#24 Southern Illinois 1 Missouri State 0
Senior Katie Schmidt lifted the Salukis to a doubleheader sweep with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs, Schmidt smoked the first pitch over the right-center field fence for the game-winning home run.

"I just went up there wanting to see a pitch and hit it hard," Schmidt said. "That was my goal, and I wasn't sure if it was going to go out so I was running as fast as I could."

Sophomore hurler Danielle Glosson was the first to celebrate the home run--which gave her win No. 7 on the year--after tossing a complete-game one-hitter with three strikeouts.

Glosson needed three outs in the top of the seventh for her first collegiate no-hiter, but Ashley Knehans dropped a single into left-center field in the top of the seventh for MSU's first base-knock of the game.

Pinch-runner Raeven Repolgle advanced all the way to third base with two outs, but Glosson settled in and retired Jana Shewmaker on a fly ball to center to end the Bears' scoring threat and send the game into the bottom of the seventh for Schmidt's heroic at bat.

Sophomore Chelsea Held, senior Katie Wagner and Allie Hanson all recorded hits, none bigger though than Schmidt's solo blast to end the game and continue the Salukis' six-game home winning streak.

Lauren McGinley gave up five hits with two strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings to take the loss for Missouri State