Southern Illinoise University Athletics
SIU hosts Bradley in MVC opener
03/14/2015 | 12:00:00 | Softball
| SIU (5-10-1) vs. Bradley (5-18) | |
| Dates | March 15-16, 2015 |
| Location | Carbondale, Ill. | Charlotte West Stadium (502) | Tickets |
| Game 1 | Sunday, March 15 | 1 p.m. CT | Video Stream | Free Audio | GameTracker | StatBroadcast |
| Game 2 | Sunday, March 15 | 3 p.m. CT | Video Stream | Free Audio | GameTracker | StatBroadcast |
| Game 3 | Monday, March 16 | 4 p.m. CT | Video Stream | Free Audio | GameTracker | StatBroadcast |
| Game Notes | Southern Illinois | Bradley | MVC |
| Statistics | Southern Illinois | Bradley | MVC |
| Series History | SIU leads 53-28 | SIU W2 |
| Social Media | @SIU_Softball  | @SIU_Softball  | Saluki Softball  |
FAST FIVE
- SIU has its home and MVC opener when Bradley comes to town for a three-game set that starts Sunday at 1 p.m. CT.
- Brook Womack is on a five-game hitting streak. Before the streak, she had six hits in her career; she has nine hits in the five-game streak.
- Freshman Sydney Jones is on a 14-game reached base streak. She has reached in 15 of her 16 career games. Another freshman, Savannah Fisher, has the highest batting average on the team (.294).
- According to famed statistician Bill James' "Runs Created" metric, Fisher is creating an average of more than one run per inning. She ranks fourth in the MVC in slugging percentage (.647).
- SIU has won 15-straight MVC home games against Bradley. Bradley last won a conference game in Carbondale in 2003; Southern swept the Braves in MVC games in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2013. Bradley won a nonconference game against SIU in 2008.
FOR STARTERS
The Salukis open their home and Missouri Valley Conference season with a three-game set against Bradley on March 15-16. The teams will play a doubleheader, starting at 1 p.m., on Sunday, March 15. The series finale will be a 4 p.m. single game on Monday, March 16. In MVC games played in Carbondale against Bradley, SIU has won 15-straight games, sweeping MVC series in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2013. Bradley did win a nonconference game in Carbondale in 2008 at the Coach B Classic.
Southern Illinois...
- has swept five-straight home MVC series against Bradley. The last BU win in Carbondale in an MVC game came in 2003. Overall, SIU has won 15 of the last 16 games against Bradley in Carbondale. The Braves won a nonconference game at the Coach B Classic in 2008.
- has used 15 different batting orders and 14 different position combinations in 16 games.
- started 0-2 in MVC play last year before going 15-9 the rest of the way to finish third in the league.
- has held four-straight opponents to three or fewer runs. SIU had allowed four or more runs in 11 of its first 12 games.
- has committed only two errors in the last four games combined. SIU had 22 errors in the first 12 games of the year.
- has already played three extra-inning games, going 1-1-1 in the three. SIU beat UMBC with an eight-inning walkoff single from Shaye Harre, lost to Ohio State and tied Northern Colorado thanks to an eighth-inning game-tying home run from Meredith Wilson.
- has overcome two big seventh-inning deficits. SIU erased a four-run seventh-inning deficit to beat Morehead State 8-6 with a six-run seventh and erased a five-run seventh-inning deficit in a 10-10 tie with Northern Colorado.
SCOUTING THE BRADLEY LADY BRAVES
Bradley is 5-18 after a challenging nonconference schedule. The Braves have played Stanford, North Carolina, Kansas, New Mexico State (twice), and Central Florida. The Lady Braves beat New Mexico State once, 10-8, and stayed within striking distance in a 3-0 loss to No. 15 Central Florida. BU has some potent hitters in the lineup, led by high average hitters Maria Schroeder (.364) and Kelly Kapp (.354). Erika Hansen (.333) has put herself in contention for MVC Freshman of the Year early in the season, ranking third in the league in doubles and RBIs, and fourth in on-base percentage. Former BU basketball center Alyson Spinas-Valainis leads the pitching staff, hurling 75.1 of the team's 142.1 innings pitched. Jaelen Hull (32.1 IP) is the only other pitcher with more than 20 innings.
YOUTH MOVEMENT
The Saluki lineup is young. The top seven hitters this season by batting average return next year, and five of those seven are underclassmen. The team leaders in batting average (Savannah Fisher, .294) and RBIs (Sydney Jones, 11) are true freshmen.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Salukis will play at home for the first time in 2015 when Bradley comes to town. The series is the start of a seven-game home stand that includes a midweek game against Saint Louis and another three-game MVC series against Wichita State next weekend. SIU is 179-64 in 11 seasons at Charlotte West Stadium, which includes a 12-7 mark last season. Southern has a winning record in all 11 seasons it has played at West Stadium.
 | Did you know? SIU ace Katie Bertelsen has a 1.56 ERA in her last 18 innings pitched. She went 19-straight batters without giving up a hit against Northern Illinois. |
SALUKIS TO HONOR SPIVEY, ROSEBERRY
Southern Illinois will honor Jayna Spivey and John Roseberry in the series. Spivey, a four-time All-MVC second baseman who graduated last season, is Southern's all-time RBI leader. Roseberry made the generous donation that allowed the program to add a padded outfield wall that will see its first action Sunday.
PITCHING STARTING TO ROLL
Southern Illinois' pitching has allowed three or fewer runs in four-straight games after giving up four or more runs in 11 of the season's first 12 games. Katie Bertelsen threw two complete-game wins, a 3-2 win over Northern Illinois and an 8-1 win over Bucknell. She then gave up just one run in four innings against Lipscomb. Bertelsen took more than a run off her season's ERA with the three dominant performances, and her ERA in those three games (18 IP) was just 1.56. In one stretch vs. Northern Illinois, Bertelsen faced 19-straight hitters without giving up a hit. Against Creighton, freshman Savanna Dover threw the best game of her young Saluki career, a complete game against Creighton. While she took the loss in the 3-1 defeat, Dover struck out five in key spots and scattered seven hits in the game.
WOMACK HITTING HER STRIDE
Southern Illinois sophomore Brook Womack is riding a five-game hitting streak that has improved her batting average from .120 to .293. Before the hitting streak, Womack had six hits in her career--three as a freshman and three early this season. In the last five games alone, Womack is 9-for-16 (.563) with two runs scored and five RBIs. Her best game came against Bucknell, going 3-for-5 with three RBIs, a run scored and a stolen base.
SALUKIS PICKING UP THE DEFENSE
Southern Illinois saw a dramatic improvement in its defense over the last four games. SIU committed 22 errors in the first 12 games of the season, including eight games with two or more errors. In the last four games, SIU has committed just two errors total and made a number of excellent defensive plays. Against Lipscomb, Kalyn Harker robbed a home run over the centerfield fense, and she also started an 8-4-2 relay that nailed a potential run at home plate. In the same game, Merri Anne Patterson made a sliding catch in left field and Sydney Jones picked a hot shot off the third base line and turned an RBI double into a harmless groundout.
FRESHMEN CONTRIBUTING TO LINEUP RIGHT AWAY
Two of the three best batting averages on the team belong to true freshmen. Savannah Fisher (.294) and Sydney Jones (.283) have made an immediate impact for the Salukis in the lineup. Both freshmen already have 5+ game reached base streaks, and Jones has the longest current reached base streak on the team at 14 games. Jones started in all 16 games and reached in 15 of those, and she leads the team with 11 RBIs. Fisher leads the team with a .294 batting average. She's the only player in the MVC with more than one triple, and she ranks fourth in the MVC in slugging percentage (.647). She went 3-for-7 in her home state of Florida over the weekend with four runs scored, two RBIs, a double, triple and home run. Based on Bill James' "Runs Created" metric, Fisher is creating on average more than one run per inning for the Salukis, nearly twice as much as anyone else on the team.
| Lineup Quick Notes | ||
| 00 | Sydney Jones | True FR...14G reached streak...Reached in 15 of 16G...Game-winning 2R HR vs. Morehead State...3B, RBI, R vs. #5 Kentucky |
| 1 | Merri Anne Patterson | 2015 MVC All-Tournament team...6-16 (.375) w/ RISP...4-11, 3RBIs w/ 2 outs...Hit. 412 in Mexico |
| 2 | Brook Womack | Started 13G... 5G hit streak...9 for last 16...Went 7-10, 5 RBIs last weekend...Singled in first official collegiate AB |
| 5 | Lacey Newbold | 101 career games & 18 career starts...2-2 in pinch hitting situations in Mexico...12 career stolen bases...Scored 32 career runs |
| 6 | Savannah Fisher | Team-best .294 avg...3-5, HR on opening weekend...4th in MVC in slg% (.647)...Only player in MVC w/ multiple triples |
| 7 | Kelsey Gonzalez | 8-17 (.471) last five games...Improved BA by .118 from Fr. to So. yr (.210 to .328)...MVC POW (4/28/14) |
| 10 | Caylee Cook | 61 career games & 32 career starts...3 doubles and 2 HRs, both in 2014...2-4 vs. Morehead State...1-4, RBI vs. N. Colorado |
| 12 | Kalyn Harker | 2-time 1st-team MVC Scholar-Athlete (4.0 GPA)...Only 2 career E (.991 career fielding %)...Robbed HR over the fence @Lipscomb | FEATURE |
| 17 | Kara Kimball | 3 starts in 2015 (1st starts of career)...150 career GP...7 career SB...58 career R...1-for-8 in career...Former walk-on |
| 23 | Jessica Heese | True FR...1st career start vs. Charleston So...2-time first-team All-State honoree in HS...Top 10 in state in 7 hitting categories as Sr |
| 24 | Alyssa Wunderlich | Two-time honorable mention MVC Scholar-Athlete...23 career Ws...4.24 career ERA...262.1 career innings...0 ER in 1.2 IP in 2015 |
| 25 | Shaye Harre | 2014 All-MVC...52 career RBIs...Game-tying grand slam vs. Morehead St...Pitching W & walkoff RBI vs. UMBC...Started all 68 G in car |
| 27 | Katie Bertelsen | 2014 All-MVC...34 career wins...36 career complete games, including 20 in 2014...2 ER vs. #5 Kentucky...4 ER in last 18 IP (1.56 ERA) | FEATURE |
| 28 | Taylor Harris | 57 career games and 17 career starts...Went 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs against Texas A&M Corpus Christi in 2014....329 career OBP |
| 32 | Jessa Thomas | Started 8x at C in 2015..Caught 2 base stealers in 2015...1.000 FLD%...2-out double started three-run rally vs. UMBC |
| 33 | Meredith Wilson | 2-time All-MVC (2012, 13)...147 career starts...25 career doubles...Two 2-out RBIs vs. Ohio St...Game-tying HR vs. N Colorado |
| 59 | Savanna Dover | True freshman...First career W vs. Morehead State...5 Ks vs. Ohio State (2/7), BYU (2/27) & Creighton (3/9)...CG vs. Creighton |
| Team | 30R in 6th & 7th inn. combined (+10 margin)...Top 7 BA return next yr...46-108 (.426) OBP leading off inn...15 batting orders in 16G | |
| HC | Kerri Blaylock | Coached her 800th career game--all at SIU--on March 30 @ Missouri St. ... Highest Win% among MVC 500-win coaches |
CARDIAC KIDS
Southern Illinois has already played three extra-inning games and posted several dramatic comebacks. Southern overcame a four-run seventh-inning deficit against Morehead State with six runs in the seventh to win 8-6. The Salukis overcame a five-run seventh-inning deficit against Northern Colorado to force extra innings, where Meredith Wilson's eighth-inning home run brough SIU out of another deficit and forced a 10-10 tie. The Salukis overcame a three-run, sixth-inning deficit against UMBC to win on a Shaye Harre walkoff RBI single.
PATTERSON HITS WELL IN MEXICO
SIU sophomore Merri Anne Patterson hit .412 on Southern's trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Patterson was hitting just .154 coming into the weekend before going 7-for-17 on the weekend. She hit three doubles, including two in a 3-for-5 day against Northern Colorado. Patterson has been clutch, batting 6-for-16 (.375) with runners in scoring position and 4-for-11 (.364) with two outs.
GONZALEZ REGAINING SOPHOMORE FORM
SIU captain Kelsey Gonzalez saw her batting average jump 118 points from her freshman year to her sophomore year (.220 to .328), and she's regaing her sophomore form. She saw her average dip to .148 after Southern's game against BYU. Since then, she's 8-for-17 (.471) and her average is up to .273. Take out an 0-for-5 game against Bucknell, and Gonzelez is 8-for-12 since Feb. 28.
BERTELSEN SHINES AGAINST TOP COMPETITION
SIU senior pitcher Katie Bertelsen has pitched her best games against the best competition throughout her career. Late last season, Bertelsen faced eventual MVC champion Wichita State, which led the league in 10 offensive categories. Bertelsen shut down the Shockers in a 2-1, allowing WSU to go just 4-for-24 against her. Against No. 5 Kentucky, which is coming off a Women's College World Series appearance, Bertelsen pitched her best game of 2015, allowing just two earned runs in a 5-2 loss.
EVERYONE CONTRIBUTES
All 17 players on SIU's roster played in its 8-6 win over Morehead State. All 14 position players have at least one start this year, and 16 of 17 players have started at least one game. The only player without a start is senior pitcher Alyssa Wunderlich, who has yet to give up an earned run in 2015. All 11 players with at least 11 at-bats has recorded at least two hits.
HARRE'S WALKOFF ALSO GIVES HER PITCHING W
SIU super sophomore Shaye Harre showcased her two-way ability in Southern Illinois' 4-3 win over UMBC on the opening day of the season. Harre pitched 5.2 innings, allowing only two earned runs, in relief to help SIU stay within striking distance. After the Salukis tied the game at three, Harre came up in the bottom of the seventh with a runner on second; and she hit a walkoff RBI single to complete her 3-for-4 day at the plate.
SIU GETS RUNNERS EARLY
SIU holds a .426 on-base percentage when leading off an inning. Of 108 times leading off an inning this year, Southern has reached 46 times. Ten players have OBPs above .300 when leading off an inning; Savannah Fisher and Kelsey Gonzalez are both 6-for-12 in reaching, Kalyn Harker is 6-for-19 (.316), Shaye Harre is 3-for-8, Taylor Harris has reached in three of four at bats, Jessica Heese is 1-for-3, Sydney Jones if 5-for-9, Lacey Newbold is 1-for-3, Meredith Wilson is 4-for-11, and Brook Womack is a team-best 8-for-10.
HARRE FLASHES PITCHING PROWESS EARLY
Shaye Harre had a great year from the plate as a freshman in 2014, hitting .329 with 43 RBIs, but she was up and down as a pitcher, posting a 6.05 ERA in 44 innings. In her first weekend as a sophomore, Harre led the team with a 3.65 ERA and had only one walk in 7.2 innings. She earned the team's first win of the season, a 4-3 win over UMBC.
HARRE HITTING HARD
Shaye Harre has been a tremendous RBI producer in her two seasons in Carbondale. As a freshman, Harre was second in SIU history for RBIs as a freshman with 43. She already has nine RBIs in 12 games this year, which leads the team. Harre has started all 64 games in her SIU career and has a .314 career batting average. In 2015, she hit the walkoff single to beat UMBC and the game-tying grand slam in an 8-6 win over Morehead State.
PLAYING FOR JC
Saluki Softball will be Playing for JC all season long. JC Bass is a two-and-a-half year old friend of Saluki sophomore Merri Anne Patterson. JC has brain cancer and will be going through a six-month chemotherapy treatment throughout the spring. To assist with JC's medical bills, donate at http://www.gofundme.com/fdvqow.
SALUKIS DRAW WALKS
SIU has consistenty been one of the most patient hitting lineups in the MVC since associate head coach and hitting coach Jen Sewell joined the staff in 2009. The Salukis have led the league in walks every season since. This year, SIU leads the conference in walks per game (3.81). The entire lineup has been drawing walks, with only no player on the team ranking in the top 10 in the MVC in walks.
SALUKIS PICKED FOURTH IN PRESEASON POLL
SIU was picked fourth in the MVC preseason coaches poll for a second-straight year. Last season, Southern went on to a 15-11 MVC season and a third-place finish, the 12th top-three finish in head coach Kerri Blaylock's 15 seasons. SIU lost five starters from that team but returns four of its top five hitters and No. 1 starter Katie Bertelsen. None of Southern's players were listed on the preseason All-MVC team, but Shaye Harre hit .368 in MVC games last year on her way to second-team All-MVC honors, and Bertelsen won nine games in MVC play and had just a 3.19 ERA in league play.
Last year's regular season champion, Wichita State, earned the preseason nod as the favorite in the conference. Illinois State and Northern Iowa were the other schools ahead of SIU.
GONZALEZ, HARKER, WILSON NAMED TEAM CAPTAINS
Junior Kelsey Gonzalez, senior Kalyn Harker and senior Meredith Wilson were named the 2015 team captains, head coach Kerri Blaylock announced in August. Gonzalez hit .328 last year, second in the MVC among shortstops. Harker, in addition to being one of the best outfielders in the MVC (only one career error and .995 career fielding percentage), hit .313 as a junior last year and showcased an impressive combination of power (10 doubles) and speed (14 stolen bases). Wilson is a two-time All-MVC hitter with 131 career starts for the Salukis under her belt. She has a .449 career slugging percentage and hit a walk-off single to beat MVC Pitcher of the Year Brittany Gardner and Loyola.
BERTELSEN LEADS PITCHERS IN 2014
SIU senior Katie Bertelsen will lead the pitching staff in 2015. Bertelsen threw more than twice as many innings as any other pitcher on the staff in 2014, logging 188.1 innings. Bertie won 14 games, including nine in MVC play. Fellow senior Alyssa Wunderlich and sophomore Shaye Harre also return after seeing time at pitcher in 2014. Wunderlich led the team in ERA in 2012 and got three wins in 33 innings last year. Harre also won three games and pitched 44 innings for the Salukis last season. Freshman Savanna Dover is expected to be a heavy contributer right away. The newcomer threw four career no-hitters in high school and pitched a five-inning no-no in the fall season.
GONZALEZ HAS BREAKOUT SOPH SEASON
SIU junior captain Kelsey Gonzalez is coming off a breakout sophomore season. Gonzalez started all 52 games in her freshman year and hit .210. Last season, Gonzalez hit .328 in 47 starts and 51 total games. She hit at nearly every spot in the lineup and ended the year in the middle of the lineup. She earned MVC Player of the Week honors after she slugged .933 against Wichita State. She had two doubles, two home runs, six RBIs and 14 total bases in leading Southern to a series win over the eventual MVC champion Shockers.
HARRE HAS MONSTER FRESHMAN SEASON
Shaye Harre was immediately a force in the middle of the lineup for SIU as a freshman. She was second on the team in 2014 with a .329 average and hit an even better .368 in MVC play. She led the team with 43 RBIs, second in program history among freshman. Her on-base percentage, RBIs, doubles and walks all ranked among the top 10 in the MVC. Harre joined Bertelsen as a second-team All-MVC honoree after the season.
TEAM OVERVIEW
SIU is replacing five starting positional players this year. Last year's starters included four spots around the infield (C, 1B, 2B, 3B) and one outfielder. Jayna Spivey, last year's second baseman, was a four-time All-MVC player and led the team in hitting last year with a .337 average.
Southern returns four of its top five hitters and the team's No. 1 pitcher, Katie Bertelsen. Shaye Harre (.329), Kelsey Gonzalez (.328) and Kalyn Harker (.313) all return after hitting better than .300 last year. Freshman Sydney Jones and sophomore Jessa Thomas are splitting time at the catcher spot, while Jones and Kara Kimball have been splitting time at third base.
CONTINUING TRADITION OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Saluki Softball posted a team GPA of 3.616 in the fall 2014 semester. All 17 players in the program earned at least a 3.2 GPA during the semester. SIU has a history as one of the best academic and athletic softball programs in the country under head coach Kerri Blaylock. Southern Illinois has posted a team GPA among the top-20 nationally in 13 of the past 14 academic years, including ten top-10 finishes. Since the NCAA began publicly recognizing softball programs that finish in the top 10 percent of their sport academically, Saluki Softball has been recognized six times and is the only program in the MVC to earn the honor even once.
FOLLOW US
The official Twitter and Instagram of Saluki softball is @SIU_Softball. This account features team news as well as live in-game updates. Fans can also follow Saluki Athletics @SIUSalukis for news on all SIU sports. Saluki Softball is also on Facebook at Facebook.com/SalukiSoftball.
ON THE AIR
Southern Illinois will broadcast every Saluki Softball game on Saluki All-Access. Bryce Williams is entering his third season as the Voice of Saluki Women's Sports and will call the play-by-play. Allie VadeBoncouer, who served as the catcher for SIU for the last three seasons, will be the analyst for all home games. Home games will also be video streamed by Saluki Video Services, led by director Shane Gibbons and produced by Anthony Giase.
