Bears edge Salukis in tough doubleheader

Wednesday, April 18

Springfield, MO

12:00 p.m.

Southern Illinois University

22-18, 0

Missouri State University

26-15, 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Southern Illinois	1	0	5	0	0	0	0	6	8	1
Missouri State	3	0	3	0	1	0	X	7	10	1

04/18/2018 | 7:12:00 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Tony McDaniel, SIUSalukis.com

Southern played two solid ball games on Wednesday in a doubleheader at Missouri State, but came up short in both games. Southern scored six runs in the first game but fell 7-6. In game two, the team lost a heartbreaker on a walk-off grand slam.

"We're having a hard time catching a break right now," head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "We came out hitting the ball extremely well in game one. It was just a hard fought battle that we didn't come out on top of. Savanna Dover threw extremely well in game two, we hit again and did a good job setting the tone. Our four errors did us in."

In the first inning of game one, the Salukis came out hitting and led off the game with a single from sophomore Susie Baranski. Fellow sophomore Maddy Vermejan singled again two batters later. Freshman Jenny Jansen singled with two out to score Vermejan and give the Salukis a 1-0 lead.

Missouri State struck back big in the bottom of the first with three runs of their own to take a 1-0 lead. A single, a triple and a home run helped the Bears to the advantage.

Southern put up a crooked number in the third thanks to a solid offensive inning. First, sophomore Katelyn Massa hit into a fielder's choice that scored Baranski from third who reached on a bunt single to lead off the inning. Freshman Meredith Wernig got caught in a run-down following the RBI fielder's choice that allowed fellow freshman Maris Boelens to score from third to tie the game at 3-3. Jansen and sophomore Kyleigh Decker both singled in the inning to put runners on for freshman Megan Brown. Brown crushed a three-run home run to left to put Southern on top 6-3 in the frame. It was Brown's ninth, 10^th and 11^th career-RBIs and her second career home run.

In the bottom of the third inning, Missouri State knotted the game at 6-6 with three runs of their own. The Bears strung together three-straight singles and three-straight walks to tie the game.

The game remained tied until the bottom of the fifth, when Missouri State plated the decisive run off of an infield single and a throwing error.

Southern was tacked with the loss recording despite eight hits and six runs; it was the second time the Salukis have lost all season when scoring more than five runs. Junior pitcher Brianna Jones was tacked with the loss. She struck out eight, walked four and gave up six earned runs.

In game two, Missouri State ripped a win from the Salukis' grasp.

In the bottom of the first, Missouri State nearly took an early lead with a home run to left, but Boelens made a fantastic leaping grab at the wall to rob a home run.

In the top of the third, senior Savannah Fisher singled to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a throwing error. Baranski advanced her to third with a sacrifice bunt. Two batters later, sophomore Maddy Vermejan singled to score Fisher. In the next at-bat, a wild pitch allowed Boelens to score from third to give Southern a 2-0 lead.

In the top of the fourth, the Salukis scored again to make the score 3-0 when Fisher hit an absolute bomb to left field.

In the fifth, Missouri State plated their first runs of the game when an error allowed two to score. Later in the inning, a sacrifice fly allowed Missouri State to tie the game 3-3.

Dover pitched into the fifth and had a strong outing for the Salukis. She allowed one earned run and walked two in the no-decision. Jones entered in the fifth for Dover.

In the top of the sixth, Southern re-took the lead when Baranski singled to score Kyleigh Decker from second. Baranski hit well after moving back into the leadoff spot for the Salukis. She went 4-5 with an RBI, a run and a walk. Vermejan had a standout day offensively as well. She was 4-6 with an RBI, a walk and a run scored.

In the bottom of the seventh, Southern retired the first batter of the inning, but committed two errors, and hit a batter to load the bases and allowed a walk-off grand slam to junior catcher Darian Frost.

The 7-4 loss to Missouri State moved Southern to 22-19 on the season and 5-10 in league play.

The Salukis look to bounce back this weekend when the team heads to Bradley for a three-game series on Saturday and Sunday. Southern has a quick turnaround on Monday when the team returns home to close out the season series against the Bears.