Salukis fall to Drake 2-1

Sunday, April 8

Carbondale, Ill.

1:00 p.m.

Southern Illinois University

20-15, 4-6

Drake University

28-9, 11-0

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

04/08/2018 | 4:09:00 | Softball

Box Score

By: Tony McDaniel, SIUSalukis.com

The Salukis fell just short of Drake in the final of a three game series today 2-1 at Charlotte West Stadium.

Southern (20-15, 4-6 MVC) entered the game following a day in which Drake (28-9, 11-0 MVC) took both games behind strong pitching. Southern fared better at the plate on Sunday, but still came up short of the Conference leaders.

"We always talk about game three and the second time you see somebody you have to recreate yourself," head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "I always want us to keep the other team below three runs and I thought [Brianna Jones] did a great job. I thought we played great defense."

Drake opened the scoring in the first inning when it scored off of an RBI double from Taryn Pena.

Southern, who was playing as the away team in the game, opened the game by getting runners on in the first three innings and got runners into scoring position in two of those three innings. Southern was unable to capitalize on the early opportunities.

"I think that's where the game kind of swung. We didn't get on [Kailee] Smith early enough," Blaylock said. "If we get on her in inning one through four, Nicole Newman becomes a non-factor. I thought we were a little bit late getting on her."

In the bottom of the third inning, Drake tallied again with a solo-home run to right field to make the score 2-0.

In the top of the fifth, Southern put together a strong offensive showing. First, sophomore Kyleigh Decker led off the inning with a solo-home run, her third of the season, to make the score 2-1. Two batters later, sophomore Maddy Vermejan reached on a single. In the next at-bat she put on a display of heads-up base running when she went first to third on a sacrifice bunt off the bat of sophomore Susie Baranski. The Salukis were unable to plate her in the inning.

"The first time Susie moved me with a bunt I noticed third was open, but the girl ran back to cover so I didn't take the chance," Vermejan said. "The second time it happened, when I was standing on first I told myself I was going for sure. I saw that she was further away than before and I went for it."

Drake's ace, Nicole Newman, entered the game to pitch in the top of the fifth and shut the Saluki bats down while earning the save.

Junior Brianna Jones recorded her 16^th complete game of the year. She struck out three and allowed five hits and two earned runs in just her fourth loss of the season. She fell to 16-4 on the year.

Southern is back in action on Wednesday when it travels to Murray State where it will look to snap the three-game skid.