Southern Illinois University
5-2
Alabama State
2-2
Softball sweeps first day of Phyllis Rafter Memorial Tournament
02/19/2010 | 12:00:00 | Softball
Feb. 19, 2010
By Beth Miller
www.SIUSalukis.com
KENNESAW, Ga. - The Southern Illinois softball team swept day one of the Phyllis Rafter Memorial Tournament with wins over Middle Tennessee State and Alabama State, improving to 5-2 on the season.
The Salukis hit three home runs against Middle Tennessee State, propelling an 8-1 win over the Blue Raiders. Outfielder Katie Wilson recorded two home runs while Alicia Garza recorded one. The home runs marked a season-first for the pair of seniors, both tying their career high for home runs in a game.
The Saluki offense was unstoppable against MTSU, scoring at least one run in the last six innings of play. The Blue Raiders were able to put one run on the board in the fourth inning, but SIU held them scoreless the remainder of the game for an 8-1 win.
SIU's offense continued to shine in its second game of the day as the Salukis produced a 9-1, run-ruled win over Alabama State. Freshman outfielder Michelle Bradley hit a walk off grand slam to send the Hornets home in five innings.
"I thought we hit the ball very well," head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "I wish we wouldn't have left so many runners on base at times, but I thought overall very good hitting day and we got two very good pitching performances."
Southern Illinois 8 Middle Tennessee State 1
Senior outfielder Wilson hit one of two home runs on the day in the second inning to break a scoreless game. Garza followed suit in the third inning with her first home run of the season, putting SIU up 2-0.
Garza kept the momentum going in the fourth inning with a two-run RBI single, driving in Sydney Shelton and Haley Gorman. Junior outfielder Chelsea Held singled to center field to bring in Morgan Barchan for a 5-0 lead over MTSU.
MTSU scored in the fourth inning, marking their only run of the day. SIU continued to dominate as Wilson hit her second home run of the day in the sixth inning, lifting SIU 7-1 over the Blue Raiders.
Southern Illinois put one more run on the board in the seventh inning for the 8-1 lead. Junior pitcher Danielle Glosson pitched a complete game to earn the win, improving to 4-1 on the season.
Gorman led the Salukis going a perfect 3-for-3 from the plate and tallying three runs. Garza helped boost the Saluki offense with four RBI and one home run, as did Wilson's powerful hitting and two home runs.
Southern Illinois 9 Alabama State 1 (5)
Alabama State was unable to stop SIU's offense, as the Salukis won their second game of the day, 9-1 in five innings.
Wilson hit her third home run of the day, with a three-run home run in the bottom of the second inning. Alabama State answered in the third with a home run from Ayesha Famble, putting the Hornets on the board with their only run of the game.
Bradley hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning, recording her first career home run and giving the Salukis a comfortable 5-1 lead. Retiring the first three batters in the top of the fifth kept the Hornet offense quiet, as the Salukis stepped up to end the game in the bottom of the inning. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth inning, Bradley muscled a walk off grand slam over the outfield wall, resulting in a 9-1 win in five innings.
Junior pitcher Alex Peters pitched a complete game earning her first win of the season. Peters allowed only two hits, walking just one batter and striking out seven at the plate.
"Alex did a great job for us in the fall and we knew what type of pitcher we were going to get," Blaylock said. "She did great getting ahead in the count and not getting a lot of base runners. She struck out quite a few batters, threw harder and looked more confident."
The Salukis will be back in action tomorrow as they face Kennesaw State at 1 p.m. ET and Mercer at 3:30 p.m. ET.
"Kennesaw hit the ball really well, and mercer did very well today too," Blaylock said. "I think they're two very good teams so it's a good test for us tomorrow to see if we're making progress. So we're excited to play them."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Peters, Alex (1-1)
L: SANCHEZ, Destinee (0-1)
Batting:
HR: FAMBLE, Ayesha 1
RBI: FAMBLE, Ayesha 1
Base Running:
RUNS: FAMBLE, Ayesha 1
CS: FRAZIER, Mercedes 1
Batting:
2B: Hanson, Allie 1
HR: Bradley, Michelle 2 ; Wilson, Katie 1
RBI: Bradley, Michelle 6 ; Wilson, Katie 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Gorman, Haley 1 ; Duran, Mallory 1 ; Hanson, Allie 2 ; Ebstein, Jenene 1 ; Bradley, Michelle 3 ; Wilson, Katie 1
SB: Gorman, Haley 1
CS: Gorman, Haley 1
HBP: Gorman, Haley 1
