Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Softball to host Creighton this weekend
03/26/2010 | 12:00:00 | Softball
March 26, 2010
By Beth Miller
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois University Softball team will host Creighton this weekend, in a three-game series at Charlotte West Stadium.
SIU (19-11, 4-0 MVC) is currently leading the Missouri Valley Conference, while Creighton (14-11, 2-0 MVC) is in a close second. SIU is perfect in Valley play after sweeping Evansville and Missouri State to begin the season 4-0, the best start to conference play since 2006.
The Salukis will host the Bluejays in a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at noon, followed by a noon game on Sunday.
SCOUTING THE BLUEJAYS
Creighton travels to Carbondale with a 14-11 overall record, and a 2-0 start to conference play after sweeping Indiana State. Three-time MVC Player of the Week, Ranae Sinkler provides the power for Creighton and will be a tough batter to face, as she is hitting .406 on the season and leading the MVC in seven offensive catagories. She owns 13 of Creighton's 21 homeruns on the season, and holds the CU record in career homeruns. Creghton's force on the mound lies with Tara Oltman, who leads six categories in the Valley. She has struck out 124 batters in 20 appearances so far this season, boasting a 1.26 ERA. Creghton enters the series this weekend after being swept by Iowa State in a doubleheader on Tuesday.
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 90 batters on the season, ranking sixth all-time with 338 career strikouts.
• Alicia Garza is leading the Valley in career hits (191), which ranks 6th all-time in school history. The Senior second baseman also leads the MVC in career doubles with 37, bumping her up to No. 4 all-time at SIU. In addition, Garza leads the Valley in stolen bases with 14.
• The Salukis have hit a team total of 26 homeruns this season, including three grand slams. Katie Wilson leads the team so far this season with six homeruns, while Alicia Garza and Allie Hanson are right behind with four each.
• Alex Peters struck out 12 batters in game two of the doubleheader against UT-Martin, Wednesday. This marks the most strikeouts from the Saluki pitching staff so far this season.
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 10-7 record and 2.36 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 conference starts (Evansville and Missouri State), Glosson threw complete game shutouts, ending the Evansville game in six innings. In her last five appearances, Glosson has struck out 28 batters and walked only one. In her first Valley start of the season, she allowed only two hits for a near-perfect game.
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 19 wins on the season, Blaylock is only three wins away from reach the 400-win mark.
GARZA JUST CAN'T BE CAUGHT
Senior Alicia Garza is 14-for-14 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. Garza currently sits in 10th place all-time, with 34 career stolen bases.
