Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Top 10 moments of '15: Walk-off Weekend vs. Wichita
06/17/2015 | 12:00:00 | Softball
SIU entered the second weekend of the conference season 3-0 but hosted the preseason Valley favorite Wichita State Shockers for a three-game series. In a dramatic series, all three games were decided by one run. SIU won all three games in its last at-bat, two by walk-off.
Merri Anne Patterson hit two game-winning home runs in the series. With a tie game in the bottom of the sixth, Patterson hit a homer to give SIU a one-run lead it would not relinquish. Then in game three, after Wichita State came back from a four-run deficit to tie the game, Patterson hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh to give SIU the series sweep.
Video of @MerriPatterson's walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh. #Salukis #WonToday pic.twitter.com/aocIZ3SbyO
— SIU Softball (@SIU_Softball) March 22, 2015
In between Patterson's game-winning homers, another sophomore, Brook Womack, was the hero of game two. SIU had clawed back from a four-run deficit to tie game two, and Womack's walk-off RBI single gave SIU a 7-6 win.
Video of @brook_womack's game-winning, walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the seventh. pic.twitter.com/Kxe4GyF8Os
— SIU Softball (@SIU_Softball) March 21, 2015
Head coach Kerri Blaylock won career game No. 550 in the series and career MVC win No. 250. She holds the highest winning percentage of any coach in MVC history with at least 500 wins.
Great team win today, and a big congrats to head coach @CoachKBlaylock on wins No. 550 and 551.
— SIU Softball (@SIU_Softball) March 21, 2015
After the great weekend, Patterson earned MVC Player of the Week honors for the first time in her career. In SIU's 4-0 week--all against MVC competition--Patterson hit three home runs and a double to slug 1.231. Patterson, who also holds a 3.9 GPA in exercise science, was also named the Valley's Student-Athlete of the Week.
GREAT week from @MerriPatterson earns her @MVCsports Player of the Week. Story: http://t.co/H36fgyxRHC #Salukis pic.twitter.com/Az6gbOkObG
— SIU Softball (@SIU_Softball) March 23, 2015
Another day, another honor for @MerriPatterson --The @MVCsports Scholar-Athlete of the Week! http://t.co/Jwr44mO1Ca pic.twitter.com/0lYhfdVNo9
— SIU Softball (@SIU_Softball) March 25, 2015
Amazing community behind us. Wichita sweep story still most popular on @thesouthern sports page a week later. pic.twitter.com/h7FIJ75R9D
— SIU Softball (@SIU_Softball) March 27, 2015
