Softball opens homestand with Coach B Classic on Saturday

03/04/2011 | 12:00:00 | Softball

March 4, 2011

By Megan Kramper
SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois softball team will open the 2011 home season at Charlotte West this Saturday as it hosts the Coach B Classic.

Coming off a 5-0 weekend at the Moe's Blue and Green Invite in Fort Myers, Fla., the Salukis (10-3) will face some tough competition in the two-day tournament that is named in honor of former long time head coach Kay Brechtelsbauer.

Brechtelsbauer, who began coaching from the team's origination in 1968 until her retirment until 1999. During that time she amassed an 633-438-2 record, taking the Salukis to the College World Series four times (`70, `71, `77, `78), and to the NCAA Regionals once (`91).

SIU holds a 42-16 all-time record in the tournament.

The Salukis will host some quality opponents including No. 24 Kentucky and Wright State, who both earned bids to the NCAA tournament last season while Purdue is off to a 9-3 start and SIU-Edwardsville enters its first season in Division I and in Ohio Valley Conference play.

Please visit the tournament central page in the Dawg House for links to live stats and more information on the Coach B Classic.

Tournament Schedule:
Saturday, March 5
10 a.m. - Wright Sate (H) vs. Purdue (A)
12 p.m. - Southern Illinois (H) vs. No. 24 Kentucky (A)
2 p.m. - Purdue (A) vs. Southern Illinois-Edwardsville (H)
4 p.m. - Southern Illinois-Carbondale (A) vs. Wright St. (H)
6 p.m. - Southern Illinois-Edwardsville (A) vs. No. 24 Kentucky (H)
Sunday, March 6
9 a.m. - No. 24 Kentucky (A) vs. Wright St. (H)
11 a.m. - Southern Illinois-Edwardsville (H) vs. Wright St. (A)
1 p.m. - Purdue (A) vs. No. 24 Kentucky (H)
3 p.m. - Southern Illinois-Carbondale (A) vs. Purdue (H)
5 p.m. - Southern Illinois-C (H) vs. Southern Illinois-E (A)

COACH B CLASSIC QUICK HITS
Series History against opponents:
• No. 24 Kentucky: 1-0 (last on Feb. 28, 1998 in a 5-1 win)
• Purdue: 2-2 (last on Feb. 7, 2003 in a 3-0 win)
• SIU-Edwardsville: 33-6 (last on Apr. 29, 2010 in a 11-4 win)
• Wright State: 3-0 (last on Feb. 16, 2008 in a 7-5 win)

Dawgs break out the brooms in Florida
The Salukis went a perfect 5-0 in the Moe's Blue and Green Invite Feb. 25-27 in Fort Myers, Fla. Victories included St. Francis (PA)(4-2), UMBC (5-1), Albany (NY) (5-4), and Iowa (5-1). The Salukis are now currently on a six game win streak going into their home opener.

Orsburn on Fire
Freshman infielder Taylor Orsburn has paced the offense in her first three weekends in a Saluki uniform uniform. The Cobden, Ill. native, is currently leading the Salukis in batting average with a .382 including four doubles, three home runs, 14 RBIs and 26 total bases, leading the team in the last two categories. Orsburn also holds a .765 slugging percentage as well as a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage. Orsburn as started in 11 of the Salukis 13 games, primarily at first base.

Veteran Trapani Leads the Way
Catcher Cristina Trapani helped guide the Salukis in two victories in critical situations at the Moe's Blue and Green Invite. The senior, from Herrin, Ill., posted a crucial RBI double to help the Salukis tie the game against St. Francis (PA) and sent one over the fence against Albany to send the game into extra innings before eventually hitting the game winning single for Southern. She improved her batting average to a .325, which is fourth best on the team, and has four doubles, two home runs, nine RBIs, and 23 total bases and a .575 slugging percentage on the season.

Salukis Receive Vote in NFCA Top 25 poll
After starting the season 10-3, the Southern Illinois softball team received one vote in the NFCA Top 25 poll released on Tuesday. This marks the first time since the 2009 season that the Salukis have received any votes in the poll. The Salukis swept competition at the Moe's Blue and Green Invite in Fort Myers, Fla. on Feb. 25-27.

Scouting Kentucky
The Wildcats are ranked No. 24 by ESPN/USA Softball coming into this weekend's tournament. Currently sitting at 11-3, the team's most noteable wins include DePaul (2/13 at the FIU Combat Classic, 6-3, eight innings) Ohio State (2/11 at the FIU Combat Classic, 9-0) and Florida State (2/20 at the FSU Tournament 7-2). Led by center fielder Megan Yocke with a .400 b/avg., four doubles, four home runs, and 12 RBIs. On the mound, the Wildcats are led by Chandra Bell, who with a 5-2 record, holds a 1.42 ERA including five complete games and three shut outs.

Scouting Purdue
Purdue went 4-0 in weekend action at the Phyllis Rafter Memorial Classic with wins over Georgia State, Tennessee State, Mississippi State, and Mercer. The Boilermakers have four hitters batting above .400 and are led by freshman Kim McMillan with a .452 batting average with two doubles, one home run, six RBIs, and a .613 slugging percentage in 12 games played.

Scouting SIU-Edwardsville
Currently at 5-9, the Cougars have noteable losses to UCLA (3-2 in nine innings) and Tennessee (12-5, five innings). SIUE is also in its first year of Division I play. Last weekend, they went 2-5 in the Red and Black Tournament with wins over Miami (OH) and Wright State. The Cougars are led by freshman Rachel Coonrod, who in 14 games holds a .306 batting average with 11 hits, one home run, four RBIs, and a .500 slugging percentage. In the circle, senior pitcher Erika Taylor holds a 2.26 ERA with a 3-5 record including two shout otus and 45 total strikeouts. In the fall, the Salukis and Cougars met a Charlotte West in a 3-1 loss for the Dawgs. NOTE: SIUE plays a single game against Missouri State on Thursday.

Scouting Wright State
With a 4-5 overall record, Wright State comes into this weekend after going 0-5 in the Black and Red Tournament in Louisville, Ky. The Raiders were run ruled in four games and came closest to a victory came against SIU-Edwardsville in which they lost 2-1.