Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Softball to host Tennessee-Martin Wednesday
03/23/2010 | 12:00:00 | Softball
March 23, 2010
By Beth Miller
www.SIUSalukis.com
Click Here For Complete Game Notes
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois Softball team is set to host Tennessee-Martin Wednesday in a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m.
SIU went 4-1 in competition last week, sweeping Evansville and Missouri State, while falling to Iowa State in a close, 2-1 matchup at Charlotte West Stadium. SIU is currently 18-10 overall, and a perfect 4-0 in Valley play, the best start to the conference season since 2006.
SCOUTING UT-MARTIN
The Skyhawks head to SIU boasting a 20-3 overall record. Their only three losses were handed to them by Ball State, Kennesaw State and Winthrop. SIU shutdown both Ball State and Kennesaw State earlier this season at the Phyllis Rafter Memorial. The Skyhawks are batting .314 collectively, while holding their opponents to .214. The UTM pitching staff carries a 1.93 ERA, while their opponents post a 7.42 ERA. Seven Skyhawks are hitting over .300, while three have recorded 20 or more runs on the season. UTM enters Wednesday's game on a 10-game winning streak. The Skyhawks are receiving votes in the USA Today/NFCA Top-25 Poll for the fourth week in a row.
QUICK HITS
• Danielle Glosson has earned all four Valley wins for SIU, striking out 22 batters in her last four appearances. She has struck out a total of 82 batters on the season, ranking sixth all-time with 330 career strikouts.
• Alicia Garza is leading the Valley in career hits (189), which ranks 6th all-time in school history. The Senior second baseman also leads the MVC in career doubles with 36, bumping her up to No. 4 all-time at SIU. In addition, Garza leads the Valley in stolen bases with 13.
• The Salukis have hit a team total of 23 homeruns this season, including three grand slams. Katie Wilson leads the team so far this season with five homeruns, while Alicia Garza and Allie Hanson are right behind with four each.
LEADER OF THE PACK
SIU is 4-0 in MVC play after sweeping Evansville and Missouri State, which marks the best start to the conference season since 2006. With conference play just getting under way, the Salukis are leading the way with the most conference and non-conference wins.
GLOSSON EARNS WEEKLY HONORS
Danielle Glosson was named MVC Pitcher of the Week and MVC Scholar-Athlete of the week (3/22). The Junior boasts an impressive 10-6 record and 2.85 ERA, while earning all four conference wins to help SIU to a 4-0 start to Valley play for a perfect .000 ERA in the MVC. In both starts last week (Evansville and Missouri State), Glosson threw complete game shutouts, ending the Evansville game in six innings. In her last four appearances, Glosson has struck out 22 batters and walked only one. In her first Valley start of the season, she allowed only two hits for a near-perfect game. The Winston-Salem, N.C. native carries a cumulative 3.75 GPA in human nutrition and dietetics.
BLAYLOCK PACES 400-WIN MARK
Head coach Kerri Blaylock entered the 2010 season with 378 wins since taking over the program in 2000. Currently sitting at 18 wins on the season, Blaylock is only four wins away from reaching the 400-win mark.
GARZA JUST CAN'T BE CAUGHT
Senior Alicia Garza is 13-for-13 in stolen bases, following a perfect 2009 season when the second baseman went 10-for-10 in stolen bases. Garza has only been caught stealing four times in her SIU career, the last time being in 2008. She set a personal season-high in SIU's double header against Evansville on 3/17, stealing her 11th base of the season.
