SIU splits another doubleheader at Stetson Invitational

Saturday, February 27

DeLand, FL

5:30 PM

Southern Illinois University

7-5

Stetson University

10-6

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Stetson	0	1	1	0	1	0	1	4	9	2
Southern Illinois	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	3	2

02/27/2016 | 12:00:00 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Feb. 27, 2016

By John Lock
SIUSalukis.com

G1 Box | G2 Box

DeLAND, Fla. - The Southern Illinois softball team split two games on the final day of the Stetson Invitational, beating Colgate 4-0 before losing to host Stetson, 4-1. Freshman pitcher Brianna Jones threw her nation-leading fifth shutout in the opener.

"Another tale of two games," head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "In the first game, we played very, very well. We threw well and stuck with a plan offensively. In the second game, we made some mistakes early that gave them runs. Offensively, we didn't make any adjustments."

Jones' remarkable freshman season continued in the opener, throwing a complete-game, three-hit shutout over Colgate. In her first six career starts, Jones has thrown five shutouts. Her season ERA is 1.26.

"She's really consistent with her approach," Blaylock said. "Same as always--she came out, threw strikes and got ahead of hitters."

Offensively, Caylee Cook continued her resurgent senior season with a two-out, two-RBI single against Colgate, and Merri Anne Patterson went 2-for-4. Shaye Harre went 3-for-5 over the two games and reached in five of seven plate appearances.

Jones and Harre were named to the All-Tournament team. Jones threw two complete-game shutouts, and Harre hit .500 with five of the team's 13 RBIs this weekend.

Against tournament host Stetson, Southern got in trouble early but for the most part pitched out of it. Stetson (10-6) stranded eight runners in the first three innings while scratching out only two runs.

But SIU went for 1-for-14 with runners on base and 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position over the game. While Stetson's best chances came in the first three innings, Southern stranded six runners over the final three innings in its comeback attempt. Southern's only run came on a Harre RBI single in the third.

"I didn't think we made adjustments at the plate," Blaylock said. "We got some runners on, but we left runners in scoring position. We couldn't get the hit to open it up."

In five doubleheaders so far this season, SIU (7-5) split for the fourth time. Southern finished the Stetson Invitational 2-2 after splitting games with Pittsburgh and Providence yesterday.

Southern is 7-2 this season against teams on a neutral field and 0-3 against tournament hosts. The Salukis get their own chance to host a tournament next weekend for the Coach B Classic. Butler, Kansas and Eastern Illinois will come to Carbondale for the weekend.

NOTES: Shaye Harre has reached base in all 12 games...Sydney Jones, Merri Anne Patterson and Hanna Stam have also reached in five-straight games...All five of Caylee Cook's RBIs this season have been two-out RBIs...SIU (7-5) already surpassed last year's non-conference win total (6)...Last year, Saluki pitching had 147 strikeouts in 48 games; this year's team has 71 strikeouts in 12 games...SIU is 7-2 against opponents on a neutral field and 0-3 against tournament hosts.