Southern Illinois University
20-18, 0
University of Northern Iowa
20-14, 0
Southern grabs a gritty win on the road
04/09/2017 | 4:55:00 | Softball
CEDAR FALLS, IOWA - The Salukis took game three of the series from Northern Iowa, 7-6, moving both team's Missouri Valley Conference records to 8-4. Southern Illinois (20-18) matched UNI (20-14) run for run and pulled away in the last inning for the victory.
The Salukis showed patience in the beginning of the game, getting two runners on from walks in the top of the first. After a couple of outs were recorded by the Panthers, Katelyn Massa pulled a ball hard to the left side, sending it through the third basemen's legs, scoring Susie Baranski from third. Sydney Jones drew a walk to load the bases, and Maddy Vermejan lined a single to right, scoring two more Salukis for a 3-0 edge.Â
Brianna Jones got the start for SIU and surrendered two runs in the bottom of the first to make it 3-2. The Panthers added another run in the bottom half of the second on a home run to tie it, 3-3.
Southern added two more runs to their score in the top of the third. Shaye Harre led off the inning with her 44th walk on the season, and Merri Anne Patterson hit the first pitch over the opposite field wall. The two-run bomb gave SIU a 5-3 lead. It was Patterson's fourth home run of the season.
SIU didn't hold onto the lead long. In the bottom half of the third, UNI plated three runs on a three-run home run, regaining the lead, 6-5.Â
The Salukis were able to respond yet again in the top half of the next inning. Kyleigh Decker led off the inning by reaching base on an error. Baranski hit a one-out single to put runners at second and first. Eyrika Brandenburg then pounded one through the right side of the infield to score Decker. The single tied the game up at six.
Jones silenced the Panthers' from the fourth inning on, holding Northern Iowa scoreless and only allowing two hits.Â
Southern broke the 6-6 tie in the top of the seventh inning. After Patterson reached second on an error with no outs, Massa laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Patterson to third. Jones picked up the biggest hit of the day, doubling down the line in left and scoring Patterson easily to give SIU a 7-6 lead.Â
In the bottom of the seventh Jones set the Panthers down in order to end the game.Â
The Salukis have now had at least 20 wins in 30-consecutive seasons.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jones, Brianna (10-9)
L: Lange, B. (4-8)
Batting:
2B: Brandenburg, Eyrika 1 ; Jones, Sydney 1
HR: Patterson, Merri Anne 1
RBI: Brandenburg, Eyrika 1 ; Patterson, Merri Anne 2 ; Massa, Katelyn 1 ; Jones, Sydney 1 ; Vermejan, Maddy 2
SH: Massa, Katelyn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Baranski, Susie 1 ; Harre, Shaye 2 ; Patterson, Merri Anne 2 ; Massa, Katelyn 1 ; Decker, Kyleigh 1
SB: Baranski, Susie 1
HBP: Vermejan, Maddy 1
Batting:
HR: Lange, B. 2
RBI: Wolfe, M. 1 ; Bailey, K. 1 ; Lange, B. 4
SH: Krodinger,B. 1 ; Spencer, J. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Krodinger,B. 1 ; Wolfe, M. 1 ; Bailey, K. 1 ; Bunch, S. 1 ; Lange, B. 2
HBP: Krodinger,B. 1 ; Varriano, A. 1
