Friday, March 2
Carbondale, Ill.
2:00 p.m.
Southern Illinois University
7-6
1
vs
14
University of Illinois
5-6
1
2
3
4
5
6
R
H
E
Illinois
0
3
0
4
0
7
14
18
1
Southern Illinois
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
4
1
Salukis drop two at Coach B Classic
03/02/2018 | 8:46:00 | Softball
The Salukis (7-7) dropped both games on the opening day of the Coach B Classic today. Southern fell in the first game 14-1 to Illinois in six innings and fell short in a comeback bid against Murray State in the second.
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"This was the poorest day of softball we've played since we started," head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "We just weren't very good in any facet of the game today."
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In the first game against U of I, the Illini's pitching stifled the Salukis. Juniors Emily Oestreich and Taylor Edwards combined for four hits, one run and four strikeouts. Edwards earned the win.
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Illinois tacked on three runs in the second inning, four in the fourth and scored seven more in the sixth inning to put the game out of reach.
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Saluki sophomore Maddy Vermejan plated the only run in the game when she hit a homerun in the bottom of the sixth to make the final score 14-1.
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Against Murray State, the Racers scored a run in the first two innings to take an early 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the third, the Salukis tied the game at 2-2 when Vermejan hit a one out double. Freshman Jenny Jansen reached on an error two batters later and advanced to second with a steal. Senior Sydney Jones reached base on an error that scored Jansen and Vermejan.
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Vermejan went a total of 3-7 with and RBI and three runs scored on the day.
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"There were some at bats that I wish I could've done better today. I get on myself a lot when I'm in the box. I have to start thinking more positive and I'll be good one I lay off myself," Vermejan said. "All the offseason hitting that we've been doing has been really helping me. I've been trying to focus on staying on top of the ball and I think that helps."
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The game remained tied at two until the top of the fifth when Murray State loaded the bases following a walk, an error and a single. Junior Lillie Goetz singled to score one run. Two batter later junior Brenna Finck singled to score another racer. Senior pitcher Savanna Dover hit a batter with a pitch to push home another run and make the game 5-3.
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The Salukis answered in the fifth when Jones hit a sacrifice RBI to score Vermejan to make the score 5-3.
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In the bottom of the seventh, the Salukis began to mount a comeback when sophomore Susie Baranski hit a leadoff double. Two batters later, sophomore Katelyn Massa drew a walk to put runners on first and second a fielder's choice moved Baranski to third. Jones stepped to the plate as the winning run in the inning with two out, but a groundout to the short stop sealed the Salukis fate.
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"Softball is about shaking days like this off," Blaylock said. "You've got 56 games. You just have to come out and get ready to go tomorrow."
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"This was the poorest day of softball we've played since we started," head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "We just weren't very good in any facet of the game today."
Â
In the first game against U of I, the Illini's pitching stifled the Salukis. Juniors Emily Oestreich and Taylor Edwards combined for four hits, one run and four strikeouts. Edwards earned the win.
Â
Illinois tacked on three runs in the second inning, four in the fourth and scored seven more in the sixth inning to put the game out of reach.
Â
Saluki sophomore Maddy Vermejan plated the only run in the game when she hit a homerun in the bottom of the sixth to make the final score 14-1.
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Against Murray State, the Racers scored a run in the first two innings to take an early 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the third, the Salukis tied the game at 2-2 when Vermejan hit a one out double. Freshman Jenny Jansen reached on an error two batters later and advanced to second with a steal. Senior Sydney Jones reached base on an error that scored Jansen and Vermejan.
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Vermejan went a total of 3-7 with and RBI and three runs scored on the day.
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"There were some at bats that I wish I could've done better today. I get on myself a lot when I'm in the box. I have to start thinking more positive and I'll be good one I lay off myself," Vermejan said. "All the offseason hitting that we've been doing has been really helping me. I've been trying to focus on staying on top of the ball and I think that helps."
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The game remained tied at two until the top of the fifth when Murray State loaded the bases following a walk, an error and a single. Junior Lillie Goetz singled to score one run. Two batter later junior Brenna Finck singled to score another racer. Senior pitcher Savanna Dover hit a batter with a pitch to push home another run and make the game 5-3.
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The Salukis answered in the fifth when Jones hit a sacrifice RBI to score Vermejan to make the score 5-3.
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In the bottom of the seventh, the Salukis began to mount a comeback when sophomore Susie Baranski hit a leadoff double. Two batters later, sophomore Katelyn Massa drew a walk to put runners on first and second a fielder's choice moved Baranski to third. Jones stepped to the plate as the winning run in the inning with two out, but a groundout to the short stop sealed the Salukis fate.
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"Softball is about shaking days like this off," Blaylock said. "You've got 56 games. You just have to come out and get ready to go tomorrow."
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Taylor Edwards (2-4)
L: Jones, Brianna (4-1)
Batting:
2B: Kiana Sherlund 1 ; Carly Thomas 3
HR: Maddi Doane 1 ; Maddison Demers 1
RBI: Kiana Sherlund 3 ; Sam Acosta 1 ; Carly Thomas 3 ; Maddi Doane 2 ; Maddison Demers 3 ; Leigh Farina 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Kiana Sherlund 2 ; Sam Acosta 1 ; Carly Thomas 1 ; Maddi Doane 1 ; Stephanie Abello 1 ; Alexis Carrillo 2 ; Bella Loya 1 ; Jill Nicklas 1 ; Maddison Demers 2 ; Leigh Farina 2
SB: Alexis Carrillo 1 ; Bella Loya 1
HBP: Maddison Demers 1
Batting:
HR: Vermejan, Maddy 1
RBI: Vermejan, Maddy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Vermejan, Maddy 1
SB: Turner, Brittany 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballIF/OF
/ Softball
C/INF
/ Softball
C/DP
/ Softball
INF
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