Southern Illinois University
34-16, 16-6
Drake
33-19, 19-5
Softball splits with Bulldogs on Senior Day
05/07/2011 | 12:00:00 | Softball
May 7, 2011
Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score
Photo Gallery 
By Megan Kramper
SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - After a sluggish start, the SIU softball team came back to split the Senior Day doubleheader with Drake at Charlotte West Stadium Saturday.
The Salukis (34-16, 16-6 MVC) were shutout by Drake's ace Jenna DeLong to start the day but followed by strong performance from Alex Peters in game two to return the shutout to the Bulldogs.
The five Saluki seniors - Chelsea Held, Danielle Glosson, Alex Peters, Cristina Trapani, and Natalee Weissinger - were also honored for their efforts on the field following the doubleheader.
"I just think that the thing about them (the senior class) is they are just a trusting group," Head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "We asked them to please trust the coaching staff, please trust each other and I think they have and we have all been through a lot together and I'm very appreciative to have them."
With the game two win, Blaylock reached another milestone in her already stellar career as she picked up her 450th victory as a head coach.
"I just basically think that because I've had a lot of great players and that's special because they've helped me to get to where I am and I give them all the credit in the world," Blaylock said.
With the split, the Salukis are guaranteed to be the No. 3 seed at the Missouri Valley Conference tournament next weekend in Springfield, Mo. Drake and Illinois State will battle for the regular season title on visiting fields tomorrow as the Redbirds face Creighton after splitting with them this afternoon.
The Salukis and Bulldogs will meet in the rubber match tomorrow at noon for Strike Out Cancer at Charlotte West Stadium.
Drake 4, SIU 0
The Salukis had little offensive production as DeLong threw a no-hitter through four innings, as they fell in game one.
The Bulldogs took an early lead with a three run double from Torey Craddock in the top of the second and kept rolling scoring three in the same inning while adding a run in the sixth as the Salukis couldn't get anything going, leaving 10 runners stranded on base in the game.
"When they (Drake) had two outs and need a big hit they got one and we left some kids stranded on base and that was really the difference in the ball game," Blaylock said.
SIU was quiet from the plate but managed four hits including a 2-for-3 performance from Morgan Barchan while Taylor Orsburn and Allie VadeBoncouer recorded the three Saluki hits, as Barchan broke up DeLong's no hitter in the fifth.
Danielle Glosson recorded a season-high 10 strikeouts as she picked up the loss moving her to 22-10 and 10-4 in MVC play.
SIU 6, Drake 0
Peters threw a gem for the Salukis as the senior struck out 10 en route to shutting out the Bulldogs in game two and helping Blaylock to her 450th win.
Peter's got help from her offense as the Salukis blasted eight hits, two of them home runs from Orsburn and Cristina Trapani, turning around a sluggish offensive effort in game one.
"Alex came out and did a great job and stuck to the game plan that we had for the hitters and she really threw to her strength," Blaylock said.
Trapani went 2-for-4 with the home run and a single while Jayna Spivey added two hits to lead the Dawgs from the plate.
Barchan added a hit and two RBIs as Mallory Duran and Natalee Weissinger also contributed hits in the win.
The Salukis got things started early with three runs in the second off a Barchan two RBI triple and Weissinger RBI double as they added a run apiece in the fifth and sixth to help cap off the win.
Peters moved to 11-5 on the season and improved to 6-2 in conference play.
Blaylock said that the Salukis would take the game two win momentum into tomorrow.
"We've played good teams the past two weekends and my message is leave them with an impression in their minds for next week (at the MVC tournament) and I just hope we come out and attack," Blaylock said.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Peters, Alex (11-5)
L: Dordel, Brynne (11-11)
Batting:
3B: DeLong, Jenna 1
Batting:
2B: Spivey, Jayna 1 ; Weissinger, Natalee 1
3B: Barchan, Morgan 1
HR: Orsburn, Taylor 1 ; Trapani, Cristina 1
RBI: Barchan, Morgan 2 ; Orsburn, Taylor 1 ; Trapani, Cristina 1 ; Weissinger, Natalee 1
SH: Gorman, Haley 1 ; VadeBoncouer, Allie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Duran, Mallory 1 ; Orsburn, Taylor 1 ; Ashton, Kelsea 1 ; Trapani, Cristina 1 ; Spivey, Jayna 1 ; Weissinger, Natalee 1
SB: Ashton, Kelsea 1
HBP: Barchan, Morgan 1 ; Spivey, Jayna 1 ; Held, Chelsea 1
PO: Spivey, Jayna 1
