Saturday, February 18
Madeira Beach, Fla.
8 a.m.
Southern Illinois University
5-3
7
vs
0
University of Massachusetts
2-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Massachussetts
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
3
Southern Illinois
0
0
0
7
0
0
X
7
6
1
Blaylock gets win No. 600
02/18/2017 | 7:56:00 | Softball
MADEIRA BEACH, FLA. – Head Coach Kerri Blaylock has been the skipper for Southern Illinois University for 18 seasons, and today she won her 600th game. The Salukis shutout UMass, 7-0, and then grabbed a 4-2 victory over Michigan State for wins 600 and 601. Blaylock becomes the sixth coach in the Missouri Valley Conference's history to reach the milestone, and the second at SIU. She is only 33 wins away from becoming the all-time wins leader in school history.
"I truly believe this," head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "It's all about every player that's played for me. I can think back to the very first game I coached and I think about all the kids that have played for me. It's so about them. Because, they are the ones that do all this and getting these wins. We've had some great players and some great assistant coaches that have been in this program, that's what it's all about."
Savanna Dover started game one and allowed only one base runner during the first four innings, as she improved to 3-1 on the season.
At the plate the team was sparked by Merri Anne Patterson, who in her first two at bats got on base both times and stole two bases.
"Merri Anne has been playing really well," Blaylock said. "She's a senior and a captain and she's been playing like it. Merri Anne has picked us up a lot in the middle of the lineup. She's just done a great job of reading situations."
Patterson's second stolen base in the bottom of the fourth proved to be costly for UMass, as she later came in to score the first run of the game on a double by Savannah Fisher. Fisher's double scored two for SIU and began a game-breaking run for the Salukis. Kyleigh Decker was up next and drilled a hard grounder to the right side of the field. The second baseman chose to throw home to prevent a run, but in the process loaded the bases. Freshman Maddy Vermejan came to the plate next and hit a clutch three-run triple. Her three RBIs made the score 5-0. With one out and a runner on third, Susie Baranski reached on an error, scoring Vermejan from third. Next up was Eyrika Brandenburg, who singled to put runners at second and first. Patterson returned to the plate for her second appearance in the inning and lined one back up the middle for an RBI single making it, 7-0.
"We did a great job at being patient and making adjustments," Blaylock said. "We kept telling them that we were going to face tough pitchers today and that you may not get on early. But, if you make adjustments as we go along we can get stuff going."
Staked to a seven-run lead, Dover allowed base runners in each inning the rest of the game, but no damage was done as she picked up her third shut out.
"Dover threw really well today," Blaylock said. "The only time she got out of rhythm was when our offensive went long. Other than that she was spot on."
The second game of the day was against Big Ten Michigan State. The Salukis once again received an amazing pitching performance and one explosive inning at the plate. Brianna Jones was in the circle for SIU and the first three innings were textbook, as she induced six ground balls and had two strikeouts.
"Michigan State's offensive stats were impressive entering the game," Blaylock said. "Brianna held them in check, though. It started raining toward the end of the game, but she bared down and worked through it. She did a great job."
On the offensive side, Southern got some momentum going in the top of the second inning. Haley Andrus got hit by the pitch for the second time in as many days to start things off. After some smart base running, the Salukis had runners at the corners. However, the Dawgs were unable to plate any runs keeping the score 0-0.
SIU finally got on the board in the fifth inning. The frame started with walks by Fisher and Baranski. Brandenburg then bunted them both over, making it second and third with one out. Patterson again came to the plate and came up big and shot one into the gap, plating two runs for SIU. Patterson ended the day with three hits and three RBIs. Following the double, Andrus and Sydney Jones singled, and Shay Harre walked to load the bases with two outs. Vermejan was clutch again, singling to left field. Two more came in and made the score 4-0. Vermejan finished the day with five RBIs on three hits.
"We stay true to ourselves," Blaylock said. "We knew that people might hold us those first few innings, but that second time through the lineup we got things going. I think the kids did a great job."
Despite a long time between pitches, Jones still looked to be in the zone in the fifth and sixth. Six came to the plate and six went back to the dugout. The bottom of the seventh started with a quick out and a walk. Michigan State strung three consecutive singles together to score two runs. But, Jones got a foul out and strikeout the next two batters to end the game.
The two victories moved SIU's overall record to 6-3, and its winning streak to three. The Salukis will play their last game of the Madeira Beach Invitational tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. against Boston University.
"I truly believe this," head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "It's all about every player that's played for me. I can think back to the very first game I coached and I think about all the kids that have played for me. It's so about them. Because, they are the ones that do all this and getting these wins. We've had some great players and some great assistant coaches that have been in this program, that's what it's all about."
Savanna Dover started game one and allowed only one base runner during the first four innings, as she improved to 3-1 on the season.
At the plate the team was sparked by Merri Anne Patterson, who in her first two at bats got on base both times and stole two bases.
"Merri Anne has been playing really well," Blaylock said. "She's a senior and a captain and she's been playing like it. Merri Anne has picked us up a lot in the middle of the lineup. She's just done a great job of reading situations."
Patterson's second stolen base in the bottom of the fourth proved to be costly for UMass, as she later came in to score the first run of the game on a double by Savannah Fisher. Fisher's double scored two for SIU and began a game-breaking run for the Salukis. Kyleigh Decker was up next and drilled a hard grounder to the right side of the field. The second baseman chose to throw home to prevent a run, but in the process loaded the bases. Freshman Maddy Vermejan came to the plate next and hit a clutch three-run triple. Her three RBIs made the score 5-0. With one out and a runner on third, Susie Baranski reached on an error, scoring Vermejan from third. Next up was Eyrika Brandenburg, who singled to put runners at second and first. Patterson returned to the plate for her second appearance in the inning and lined one back up the middle for an RBI single making it, 7-0.
"We did a great job at being patient and making adjustments," Blaylock said. "We kept telling them that we were going to face tough pitchers today and that you may not get on early. But, if you make adjustments as we go along we can get stuff going."
Staked to a seven-run lead, Dover allowed base runners in each inning the rest of the game, but no damage was done as she picked up her third shut out.
"Dover threw really well today," Blaylock said. "The only time she got out of rhythm was when our offensive went long. Other than that she was spot on."
The second game of the day was against Big Ten Michigan State. The Salukis once again received an amazing pitching performance and one explosive inning at the plate. Brianna Jones was in the circle for SIU and the first three innings were textbook, as she induced six ground balls and had two strikeouts.
"Michigan State's offensive stats were impressive entering the game," Blaylock said. "Brianna held them in check, though. It started raining toward the end of the game, but she bared down and worked through it. She did a great job."
On the offensive side, Southern got some momentum going in the top of the second inning. Haley Andrus got hit by the pitch for the second time in as many days to start things off. After some smart base running, the Salukis had runners at the corners. However, the Dawgs were unable to plate any runs keeping the score 0-0.
SIU finally got on the board in the fifth inning. The frame started with walks by Fisher and Baranski. Brandenburg then bunted them both over, making it second and third with one out. Patterson again came to the plate and came up big and shot one into the gap, plating two runs for SIU. Patterson ended the day with three hits and three RBIs. Following the double, Andrus and Sydney Jones singled, and Shay Harre walked to load the bases with two outs. Vermejan was clutch again, singling to left field. Two more came in and made the score 4-0. Vermejan finished the day with five RBIs on three hits.
"We stay true to ourselves," Blaylock said. "We knew that people might hold us those first few innings, but that second time through the lineup we got things going. I think the kids did a great job."
Despite a long time between pitches, Jones still looked to be in the zone in the fifth and sixth. Six came to the plate and six went back to the dugout. The bottom of the seventh started with a quick out and a walk. Michigan State strung three consecutive singles together to score two runs. But, Jones got a foul out and strikeout the next two batters to end the game.
The two victories moved SIU's overall record to 6-3, and its winning streak to three. The Salukis will play their last game of the Madeira Beach Invitational tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. against Boston University.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Dover, Savanna (3-1)
L: Meg Colleran (1-1)
Base Running:
CS: Kate Dennis 1
HBP: Melissa Garcia 1
Batting:
2B: Fisher, Savannah 1 ; Vermejan, Maddy 1
3B: Vermejan, Maddy 1
RBI: Baranski, Susie 1 ; Patterson, Merri Anne 1 ; Fisher, Savannah 2 ; Vermejan, Maddy 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Baranski, Susie 1 ; Patterson, Merri Anne 1 ; Jones, Sydney 1 ; Turner, Brittany 1 ; Fisher, Savannah 1 ; Decker, Kyleigh 1 ; Vermejan, Maddy 1
SB: Patterson, Merri Anne 2
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballUTIL
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C/INF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballINF
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