Salukis clinch bye in 8-0 win over UNI

Sunday, May 6

Carbondale, Ill.

11:00 a.m.

Southern Illinois University

29-21, 12-12

University of Northern Iowa

26-25, 11-13

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Northern Iowa	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
Southern Illinois	0	0	5	3	X	8	9	0

Photo by: Madison Case

05/06/2018 | 2:39:00 | Softball

Box Score

By: Tony McDaniel, SIUSalukis.com

MVC Tournament Bracket

An 8-0 short-game victory over Northern Iowa earned Saluki softball a first-round bye and the three seed in next week's Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. In Des Moines, Iowa.

Southern was locked in in all facets of the game in the season finale. Junior pitcher Brianna Jones got the start and earned the win, her 24^th of the season. Her defense behind her did not commit an error.

Offensively, the Saluki offense started hot by loading the bases in the first inning thanks to singles from sophomore Susie Baranski and freshman Jenny Jansen and a walk from senior Sydney Jones. On the defensive side of the game, Jones required just 14 pitches to retire the first six Panthers relying on her defense behind to get the outs.

In the third, Southern broke through with a big inning. Sophomore Maddy Vermejan doubled to start the inning and was followed by a Baranski walk and a Jansen single. Sophomore Katelyn Massa drew a walk to score Vermejan, her 47^th RBI of the season. Sydney Jones hit a sac fly to left to score Baranski in the next at-bat to make it a 2-0 game. Kyleigh Decker capped off the scoring in the frame with a three-run home run, her sixth of the season, to make it a 5-0 game.

Southern wasn't done. In the fourth, freshman Maris Boelens and Vermejan both got on with singles to start the inning. Baranski knocked in Boelens with a double to center. Jansen singled down the left field line in the next at-bat to score sophomore Bailey Pulley who pinch ran for Vermejan. Sydney Jones capped off the scoring with another sac fly to right to score Baranski to make the score 8-0.

Baranski was 2-2 with a walk, and RBI and a run scored. Jansen was 3-3 with and RBI and a run scored. Vermejan also had a two-hit game with a run scored. Sydney Jones did not log an at-bat, but still scored two RBIs and got on once with a walk. Brianna Jones earned a shutout, her fifth, and her 24^th complete game of the season. Her record stands at 24-7 in the regular season. She's won six of her last seven games. Her win percentage of .774 will likely be the best of her career so far.

With the win, the Salukis clinched a three-seed in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament next week in Des Moines. Drake is the one-seed and Missouri State finished second in the league. SIU will play the winner of Thursday's six vs. seven match-up between UNI and Illinois State on Friday at 1:30. If Southern advances, second-seeded Missouri State waits in the semi-finals.