Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Softball tops SIUE, Lake Land College in fall play
09/23/2012 | 12:00:00 | Softball
Sept. 23, 2012
By Bill Ford
SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill.— The Southern Illinois softball team picked up two more wins in fall play Sunday afternoon at Charlotte West Stadium.
The Salukis pulled away late for a 6-1 win over SIU Edwardsville in their first game of the day before coming from behind in the seventh inning to top Lake Land College 3-2 in the finale.
Southern and SIUE went scoreless through the first three innings of their matchup before the Salukis struck in the fourth with a solo home run by junior Jayna Spivey. The Cougars answered with a run in the top of the fifth, but SIU struck right back in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single by junior Kelsea Ashton.
The Salukis added four more runs in the sixth on an RBI double by senior Michelle Bradley, an RBI single by freshman Kelsey Gonzalez and a two-run home run by freshman Lacey Newbold. SIUE couldn't answer in the seventh as senior Brittney Lang picked up the win in relief of starter, sophomore Alyssa Wunderlich.
Lang didn't allow any hits in 2.2 innings of work with one strikeout and two walks. Wunderlich allowed one run on four hits with three walks in 4.1 innings of work.
Gonzalez was the only Saluki with multiple hits as she went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Six SIU players picked up hits in the win.
Southern struggled to produce runs in the nightcap. The Salukis stranded six runners through the first five innings, ending the second and third innings by hitting into double plays. Meanwhile, the Lakers jumped out to an lead with a pair of runs in the third inning.
SIU finally scored in the sixth inning on an RBI single by Gonzalez, but ultimately stranded two more runners in the inning. Junior Allie VadeBoncouer tied the game in the top of the seventh with an RBI double, and the Salukis took the lead after a Lake Land error allowed sophomore Kara Kimball to score.
Lang retired the final three batters to pick up her second win of the day. She struck out three and allowed no runs on two hits with one walk in four innings after relieving starter Katie Bertelsen. Bertelsen allowed two runs on three hits in three innings of work.
Newbold went 3-for-3 in the second game to lead SIU while VadeBoncouer went 2-for-4 and Kimball scored two runs.
Southern closes out its fall season September 29-30 at the State Farm Classic in Bloomington, Ill.
