Southern Illinois University
21-12, 0
Evansville
8-14, 0
Evansville hands Softball first conference loss
03/31/2010 | 12:00:00 | Softball
March 31, 2010
By Beth Miller
www.SIUSalukis.com
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - The Purple Aces handed SIU its first Missouri Valley Conference loss of the season, as the Salukis fell 2-1 at Evansville on Wednesday.
The Salukis (21-12, 6-1 MVC) defeated Evansville (8-14, 3-5 MVC) earlier this season in a doubleheader at Charlotte West Stadium. SIU run-ruled the Purple Aces, 8-0, in game one followed by a walk-off single from Chelsea Held for the 2-1 win in game two. SIU came out looking for the complete sweep on Wednesday, but were silenced by UE's homeruns.
Sophomore Haley Gorman returned to her position at shortstop after missing 19 games due to mono. She went 1-for-3 in her first at-bat in Valley play, scoring the team's only run of the day. Mallory Duran went a perfect 2-for-2, earning two of SIU's four hits on the day. Danielle Glosson earned the start for the Salukis, striking out eight at the plate and walking only one batter.
A quick game at Cooper Stadium would prove to be a pitcher's battle as both teams struggled offensively through the first four innings of play. But it was UE's shortstop, Amy Gaertner, who finally broke a scoreless game with a homerun in the bottom of the fifth, marking the first homerun Glosson has given up in Valley play so far this season.
The Salukis came alive in the top of the sixth inning, answering Evansville's 1-0 lead. Gorman walked, followed by a successful bunt from Mallory Duran to occupy first and second. A sacrifice bunt from Alicia Garza would advance the runners, bringing Katie Wilson to the plate. Wilson reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases, in Krista Price's failed attempt to get Gorman out at third. Held flew out to left field, as the ball was thrown to second to hold up Duran, Gorman scored from third to tie the game.
The Purple Aces did not give up, as Price came up with an aggressive homerun to take the lead, 2-1, in the bottom of the sixth inning. SIU was not able to put any more runs on the board in the top of the seventh, being handed their first conference loss of the season.
The Salukis look to pick back up this weekend, as Kerri Blaylock eyes her 400th career win as head coach at Southern Illinois, in a three-game series at Bradley. The Braves and Salukis will take the field Friday in a doubleheader at 2 p.m., followed by a final game Saturday at noon.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kautz (7-4)
L: Glosson, Danielle (11-8)
Batting:
SH: Duran, Mallory 1 ; Garza, Alicia 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gorman, Haley 1
SB: Duran, Mallory 2 ; Wilson, Katie 1
Batting:
HR: Price 1 ; Gaertner 1
RBI: Price 1 ; Gaertner 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Price 1 ; Gaertner 1
SB: Villanueva 1
CS: Price 1
HBP: Price 1
