Southern Illinois University
16-10
Illinois
12-12
Softball falls to Illinois 5-2
03/23/2011 | 12:00:00 | Softball
March 23, 2011
By Megan Kramper
SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois couldn't get past a rough first inning, as it fell 5-2 to Illinois on Wednesday afternoon.
The Salukis (16-10, 3-0 MVC) committed two errors in the first inning, only allowing one run but it was all the Fighting Illini (12-12, 0-0 Big Ten) need to get ahead in the game as they gained insurance off a two run third inning, a home run from Jessica Davis, and a sixth inning Saluki error.
"Our defense was embarrassing today and I am just really tired of our lack of adjustment and fight in games like these," head coach Kerri Blaylock said.
Offense was nowhere to be found for the Salukis, as they recorded just three hits, one from Haley Gorman and two off the bat of Chelsea Held, in the loss.
The Dawgs attempted a comeback in the sixth inning as they got one run across the plate on a wild pitch but left two runners stranded at the end of the inning.
Held launched her first homerun on the season with a solo shot in the seventh but it wasn't enough to help the Salukis turn around the rough early start.
Blaylock credited Illini pitcher Pepper Gay, who kept the Dawgs guessing at the plate.
"She did a good job and would come in and out with her pitches and knew our weaknesses and tried to stick with those," Blaylock said.
Danielle Glosson (10-6) shined on the mound despite the loss, pitching a complete game while striking out nine.
The Salukis hope to turn it around as they travel to Omaha, Neb. to face conference rival Creighton in a three-game series beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday.
"We just need to regroup and play defensively like we did against Wichita State and that will help us tremendously and also we have to come ready to swing the bats," Blaylock said.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gay, Pepper (7-7)
L: Glosson, Danielle (10-6)
Batting:
2B: Vaji, Danielle 1
3B: Zymkowitz, Danielle 1 ; Vaji, Danielle 1
HR: Davis, Jessica 1
RBI: Zymkowitz, Danielle 1 ; Wedel, Kelley 1 ; Davis, Jessica 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Zymkowitz, Danielle 1 ; Vaji, Danielle 1 ; Hackett, Meredith 1 ; Simpson, Nikki 1 ; Davis, Jessica 1
SB: Simpson, Nikki 1 ; Wedel, Kelley 1
CS: Bradarich, Erin 1
HBP: Davis, Jessica 1
Batting:
HR: Held, Chelsea 1
RBI: Held, Chelsea 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Duran, Mallory 1 ; Held, Chelsea 1
HBP: Trapani, Cristina 1
