Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Softball opens MVC play at home against Wichita State
03/18/2011 | 12:00:00 | Softball
March 18, 2011
By Megan Kramper
SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois softball team kicks off the 2011 Missouri Valley Conference season on Saturday as it host Wichita State for a three game series.
The Salukis are the returning MVC regular season champions, as they went 20-5 in regular season league in 2010 while coming runner-up to Creighton at the conference tournament a season ago.
The series will begin Saturday with a doubleheader at noon and 2p.m. followed by a noon matchup on Sunday at Charlotte West Stadium.
ON DECK: WICHITA STATE
Series History: SIU leads 41-23 Last year: SIU went 2-1 winning the Saturday double header (3-1, 9-4) and dropping the rubber match (5-2) against the Shockers in Wichita, Kan.
RETURNING CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS OPEN 2011 SLATE
The Salukis open up the 2011 Missouri Valley Conference as the returning regular season champions as they host Wichita State Saturday and Sunday. The Shockers come into the weekend series on a seven game losing streak and a 6-18 overall record. The team is led offensively by senior first baseman Jamie Hull, who is batting .354 with 16 RBIs and three home runs. She was named the MVC Player of the Week on Feb. 27 for her performance at the Texas Tech Invitational. Katie Armagost leads the pitching staff with a 3.30 ERA and a 4-7 record.
TIGER TROUBLE
On Wednesday, the Salukis dropped a 3-0 decision to the No. 13/17 Missouri Tigers in Columbia, Mo. The loss puts the Salukis 0-3 against ranked competition this season including losses to No. 5 Michigan (19-4), and No. 24 Kentucky (9-5).
DURAN CONTINUES DOMINANCE
Mallory Duran continued her all-around solid performance this season as she extended her hit streak to 10 games as she provided one of the Salukis' three hits in their loss against No. 13/17 Missouri. Duran cruised through the Saluki Invitational with a .426 batting average in four games going 6-for-13 with a double, three runs scored, a stolen base, seven total bases, a .500 on base percentage, and a .538 slugging percentage. The junior left fielder also made some heroic catches in the outfield and is maintaining a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage after 22 games. Duran also leads the team in batting average with a .358 and is a perfect 6-for-6 in stolen bases.
