Southern scores 15 runs in split with Valpo

Friday, March 30

Valparaiso, IN

1:00 p.m.

Southern Illinois University

18-12, 3-3

Valparaiso University

15-13, 3-4

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Southern Illinois	2	1	1	1	1	0	0	6	7	3
Valparaiso	0	1	4	0	1	1	X	7	10	2

03/30/2018 | 10:05:00 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Tony McDaniel, SIUSalukis.com

In a day that could be described as a slugfest, SIU (19-12, 4-3 MVC) and Valparaiso (15-14, 3-5 MVC) combined for 28 runs, six home runs and 37 hits, the Salukis earned a scrappy victory and dropped a tough loss.

In the first game, Southern and Valparaiso traded the lead four times before the Crusaders won 7-6. In the second game, the Salukis scored nine runs in the final three innings to top Valparaiso 9-6.

"It was an interesting day. Both clubs hit the ball really, really well. We lost a tough one in game one, but our offense was tremendous all day today," Head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "In the second game, we had really good pitching. What a way to get nine runs in three innings and really gut one out. That's a thing in Conference that you have to do sometimes. I was really proud of the kids for the way we finished."

In the day's opener, the Salukis jumped out to a lead in the top of the first inning when Southern got runners on second and third following a leadoff hit-by-pitch to sophomore Maddy Vermejan and a double by sophomore Katelyn Massa. With two outs, freshman Megan Brown singled to score both runners and put the Salukis up 2-0.

In the top of the second, Southern scored again when Vermejan singled to score sophomore Kyleigh Decker, who reached by a hit-by-pitch from second to make the score 3-0.

Valparaiso scored its first run of the game in the bottom of the second on an RBI double to make the score 3-1.

Southern answered in the next frame when freshman Megan Brown hit her first career home run to left to extend Southern's lead to 4-1. Brown was 2-4 with a home run, a run scored and 3 RBI in the first game of the day.

In the bottom of the third Valparaiso scored four runs on three hits to take its first lead of the day. First, a 2 RBI single to left shortened Southern's lead to 4-3. Two batters later, an RBI single tied the game at 4-4. On the next at-bat a sac-fly to right field gave Valparaiso a 5-4 lead.

In the top of the fourth Decker tied the game up at 5-5 with a leadoff home run, her second of the year.

An inning later, Southern took back the lead when junior Jordan Spicer hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored senior Sydney Jones who led off the inning with a walk.

The Salukis scored in each of the first five innings.

In the bottom of the fifth, Valparaiso came right back and tied the game at 6-6 off of a sac fly of their own.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Valparaiso took a 7-6 lead when its nine-hole hitter, sophomore Morgan Matalin hit a go-ahead home run the put the Crusaders ahead for good.

Valparaiso carried their momentum over into game two and continued scoring starting with the first inning. Back-to-back RBI doubles gave the Crusaders an early 2-0 lead. An inning later, Valparaiso struck again on a sacrifice RBI to make the score 3-0 through two innings.

After the first two innings, the Saluki starter, senior Savanna Dover, settled in. She allowed three runs on four hits through the first two innings, but allowed just one run on one hit through the next four innings.

Dover kept her team in the game long enough for the Salukis to break through. After back-to-back inning of getting runners into scoring position, but failing to get them home, the Salukis broke through in the top of the fifth inning. Senior Savannah Fisher led the top of the fifth off with a single. Two batters later, Massa hit an RBI single to right that scored Fisher from second for the first run in game two. In the next at-bat, freshman Jenny Jansen doubled to score senior Brittany Turner who pinch ran for Massa. By the end of the fifth inning, the Salukis trailed just 3-2.

In the next half inning, Valparaiso's junior Jaymee Lawton hit her Valley-leading 10^th RBI of the season to make the score 4-2.

In the top of the sixth, it was like the flood gates opened for Southern. After working runners into scoring position in three-straight innings and scoring two in the fifth, the Salukis posted a six spot in the top of the sixth. Southern loaded the bases with no outs following a Sydney Jones single, a Spicer walk and a Decker hit by pitch. A wild pitch during the next at-bat allowed Jones to score to make the score 4-3. Then Fisher hit a three-run homer to the opposite field to make the score 6-4.

It was Fisher's fourth home run of the year and her 14^th, 15^th and 16^th RBI of the season, surpassing her total from 2017.

"Fisher did a really good job coming back today," Blaylock said. "She did a great job seeing pitches that she really needed to see. She did a really, really good job."

Two batters later, sophomore Susie Baranski dropped down a bunt single. In the next at-bat, Massa hit a two-run shot to make the score 8-4.

Valpo scored two more in the next inning to make the score 8-6. The inning was Dover's last, she would go on to earn the win, her fourth of the year.

In the top of the seventh, Sydney Jones hit her first home run since Feb. 10 to make the score 9-6, it was her third of the year.

Junior Brianna Jones came in in the seventh inning to close the game out. She struck out two batters in the final frame to earn her second save of the year.

The Salukis scored nine runs in the final three innings to take the win.

"We had a really good battling mentality in the second game," Blaylock said. "We talked about how we wanted to play game two a little bit better, and we had to figure out a way to do that. I thought they did a great job."

Southern is scheduled to take on Valparaiso for one final game in northern Indiana on Saturday tomorrow at 11 a.m., however, there is rain in the forecast. Follow along with @SIU_Softball on Twitter and Facebook for all of the updates, weather related and otherwise.