Salukis drop heartbreaker to Indiana State

Saturday, April 14

Carbondale, Ill.

1:00 p.m.

Southern Illinois University

22-17, 5-8

Indiana State University

20-19, 7-7

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Indiana State	0	0	1	0	0	2	2	5	13	2
Southern Illinois	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	3	5	0

Photo by: Madison Case

04/14/2018 | 5:58:00 | Softball

Box Score

By: Tony McDaniel, SIUSalukis.com

The Salukis led from the first inning to the sixth, but couldn't hold off a late inning charge from the Indiana State Sycamores on Sunday's series finale. Indiana State scored twice in the sixth and seventh to take the series from Southern.

"I don't feel like we made adjustments at the plate and they did a really good job of it," head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "They out-hit us 13-5 and I think that was the story of the game quite honestly."

The Salukis opened the scoring in the first after a string of good at bats to open the game. Sophomore Susie Baranski started things off with a walk. Freshman Jenny Jansen singled two batters later to put runners on second and third. In the next at-bat sophomore Kyleigh Decker singled to score both runners and give the Salukis a 2-0 lead in the first.

In the top of the third, the Sycamores got their first run off of an RBI single from first baseman Amanda Guerico.

Decker helped the Salukis answer back in the bottom of the inning with her second RBI hit of the day, this time a double that scored Jansen from first who was hit by a pitch earlier in the inning. After the third, the Salukis led 3-1.

Decker was 2-3 with three RBIs and a double in the game. Her three-RBIs were the most she's had in a game this season. She had two against Mercer of February 16.

"Kyleigh has been hitting the ball well and in the last week really well," Blaylock said. "She did a really good job."

Southern put runners on in three of the first four innings of the game.

Junior pitcher Brianna Jones got the start and grinded out a good one. She allowed base runners in each inning but the fifth, but still held the Sycamores to just three runs, two of which were earned.

In the top of the sixth, Indiana State doubled to start the inning. Following the double, senior Savanna Dover entered the game to pitch and allowed back-to-back sacrifices hits a single and a double to allow Indiana State to tie the game.

In the seventh Dover would let the go-ahead run on to be tacked with the loss.

Indiana State scored twice in the seventh, once off of a double and again off of a steal at home.

In the bottom of the seventh, Southern mounted a comeback. With one out, freshman Maris Boelens singled to put a runner on. Sophomore Maddy Vermejan hit into a fielder's choice and advanced to second following a Baranski single in the next at-bat. In a situation similar to yesterday's walk-off in game two, Katelyn Massa stepped up representing the winning run. Massa turned a pitch and lined it sharply towards the shortstop who made a nice play on the ball to end the game.

With the loss, the Salukis fell to 22-17 and 5-8 in Valley play. Dover fell to 4-11 on the year.

There are still 12 games to go in the season. Southern still has plenty of opportunities to secure good seeding in the MVC Tournament. Southern has series remaining against Missouri State, Bradley, Evansville and Northern Iowa.

Southern continues the Valley stretch on Wednesday with the first portion of a series against Missouri State of Wednesday. The Salukis will play a mid-week doubleheader against the Lady Bears starting at noon.