Softball powers past EIU in run-rule win

Thursday, April 19

Carbondale, Ill.

4:00 PM

Southern Illinois University

28-12

Eastern Illinois

23-18

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Eastern Illinois	0	1	0	0	1	2	6	2
Southern Illinois	0	0	3	6	1	10	11	1

04/19/2012 | 12:00:00 | Softball

Box Score

April 19, 2012

Box Score

By Megan Kramper
SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Allie VadeBoncouer continued on a tear at the plate as she helped guide the Southern Illinois softball team to a 10-2 run-rule win over Eastern Illinois Thursday at Charlotte West Stadium.

VadeBoncouer chipped in a 3-for-4 performance and drove in a career-high five RBI to help the Salukis beat the Panthers in five innings. Taylor Orsburn also added a 3-for-4 performance with an RBI.

"They (Taylor and Allie) have done a great job and we're happy they're hitting the ball well and picking things up," SIU head coach Kerri Blaylock said.

The Salukis (28-12) gave up an early run to the Panthers in the second but the offense came alive in the third. VadeBoncouer drove in the first two Saluki runs off an RBI single and Haley Gorman picked up an RBI on a groundout to take a 3-1 lead.

Picking it right back up in the fourth, the Salukis took a commanding lead as they batted around in the order in the inning, sending 10 to the plate in total.

The inning began with Jayna Spivey reaching on an error followed by a Mallory Duran-Sellers RBI single. Orsburn added an RBI single followed by a VadeBoncouer two-run single. Meredith Wilson extended the lead to 9-1 with a two-run double.

The Panthers (23-18) made the Salukis bat in the fifth as they scored a run off a single to centerfield as they tried to avoid the run-rule in the top of the inning.

VadeBoncouer had other plans for the Panthers, using a bases-loaded single to drive in the Salukis 10th run for their 28th victory of the season.

Katie Bertelsen (11-7) notched the win as she relieved starter Alyssa Wunderlich in the second.

"Katie's having learning how to do something new," Blaylock said. "She didn't have to relieve in high school because she was basically the one person so she's doing a good job of coming in and getting settled."

SIU pounded out 11 hits including six from Orsburn and VadeBoncouer. Wilson, Duran-Sellers, Gorman, and Michelle Bradley all contributed hits in the contest.

The Salukis return to Missouri Valley Conference action as they travel to Drake for a three-game series Saturday and Sunday.