Southern drops two one-run games to Evansville

Tuesday, April 19

Carbondale, Ill.

3:00 PM

Southern Illinois University

25-15, 0

Evansville

19-20, 0

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

04/19/2016 | 12:00:00 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

April 19, 2016

By John Lock
SIUSalukis.com

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CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois softball team lost a pair of one-run games to Evansville on Tuesday afternoon at Charlotte West Stadium. Evansville won the opener 1-0 and the second game 3-2.

Both games were pitching duels between the top two ERA pitchers in the Missouri Valley Conference. In the opener, both SIU star Brianna Jones and UE ace Morgan Florey threw complete games. Florey threw a one-hitter, and Jones threw a two-hitter; but one of Evansville's two hits was a solo home run that gave the Aces a 1-0 win.

"You're looking at two of the best pitchers in the conference, there's no doubt," SIU head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "(Florey) is fantastic, and we knew she would be. We knew it would be a tight game. We just need to figure out a way."

In the second game, Evansville (20-20, 8-9 MVC) got two unearned runs in the first inning. SIU (25-16, 8-8 MVC) tied the game with single runs in the first and second innings, but a third unearned UE run in the sixth broke the tie and gave the Aces the series-clinching win. The third game of the series will be next Tuesday in Evansville.

"If we play defense, we win 2-0," Blaylock said. "It was about the errors. We have pitched well enough to win the last three ball games."

SIU has allowed only three earned runs in the last six games combined (0.49 ERA), but the Salukis went 2-4 in the six-game home stand. Three of the four losses came by a single run, while SIU hit just .152 in the six games.

"In situations like this, you just swing your way out of it," Blaylock said. "We're just going to keep playing ball and hope we swing our way out of it."

SIU's offense was highlighted by Eyrika Brandenburg and Kelsey Gonzalez. Those two combined to go 4-for-11, while the rest of the lineup went 1-for-32.

"I feel like we're pressing," Blaylock said. "Gonzo and Eyrika had really good days, but we need to compete a little bit harder up and down the lineup. That's all it is."

SIU hits the road this weekend for a three-game series at Bradley. The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, starting at noon, and a single-game at noon on Sunday.

"You're lucky you get to go out and Saturday and play again," Blaylock said. "If you're a competitor, you come out ready to go. That was my message."