Sunday, September 16
Carbondale, Ill.
12 p.m.
Southern Illinois University
vs
John A. Logan College
Saluki Softball opens fall season on Sunday
09/12/2018 | 2:26:00 | Softball
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois University softball team opens its fall season with a double header at Charlotte West Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 16 against in-state foes John A. Logan College and Rend Lake College.
Sunday's doubleheader will be the first of four-straight weekend doubleheaders for the Salukis, who are coming off a 2018 season in which they went 31-22 and advanced to the MVC Tournament Championship game.
"We will use the fall season to put people in different positions, use different lineups, use different pitching combinations, see who does well in relief and who does well as a starter," SIU head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "We have a few kids that play multiple positions so we want to get them out there. It's a learning experience for us. We want our newcomers to mesh with our returners. Our first few weeks of practice have been outstanding so we are really excited to play."
The Salukis graduated five seniors a year ago, a group that included two players who made up the left side of their infield for the better part of the last two seasons in Sydney Jones and Savannah Fisher.
Jones, a 2018 All-MVC second team selection, made 157 career appearances at third base, including 51 starts in 2018. Fisher nearly split her 198 career starts equally at second base and shortstop, as she started 88 games at second base and 86 games at shortstop. SIU will also need to replace pitcher Savanna Dover, who made 95 appearances on the mound during her four seasons, including 23 a year ago.
While the Salukis will search for replacements at third base and shortstop, the right side of their infield returns three who started 50-plus games in 2018, including All-MVC First Team selections Maddy Vermejan and Katelyn Massa. Vermejan, who was also the MVC's Defensive Player of the Year, committed just three errors at second base and led the league in on-base percentage (.482) and hit by pitches (21). Massa, meanwhile, started 50 games behind the dish for the Salukis and led the Valley in RBIs (48) and tied for second in home runs (11) while Kyleigh Decker returns after a sophomore campaign in which she started all 53 games at first base and finished third on the team in home runs (7).
Also back for the Salukis is their ace, three-time All-MVC First team selection Brianna Jones. Jones is coming off a season in which she went 26-8 with a 2.08 earned run average and 211 strikeouts. The Manchester, Tenn. native will enter the 2019 season 18 wins shy of Amy Harre's school-record of 84 and a strikeout shy of becoming just the sixth pitcher in program history with 500-plus strikeouts.
SIU will welcome five newcomers, Ashley Wood, Sidney Sikes, Nicole Johnson, Holly Marousek and Claire Miller to the team this year. Blaylock said all five should see considerable playing time throughout the fall season.
"They are progressing very well," Blaylock said of her newcomers. "Ashley Wood has come in at shortstop and is doing a really good job. Sidney Sikes has played some catcher and third basemen. Nicole Johnson has been in the outfield but she will also be a great defensive replacement. She's got wheels and can run. Our two pitchers, Claire Miller and Holly Marousek, have come in and been real steady for us. They are not too overwhelmed. They are doing a great job of learning and soaking all the information in."
The fall season will also serve as a homecoming for several opposing coaches. John A. Logan head coach Taylor (Orsburn) Siefert played for Blaylock from 2011-14 and was a career .303 hitter while a Saluki, while SLU head coach Christy Connoyer and Greenville head coach Buddy Foster were both assistants at SIU during the early 2000s.
Southern's fall season kicks off Sunday against John A. Logan (12 p.m.) and Rend Lake (2 p.m.). SIU will take on Lindenwood-Belleville (12 p.m.) and Lake Land College (2 p.m.) on Saturday, Sept. 22, before hosting Saint Louis (2 p.m.) and Murray State (4 p.m.) on Sunday, Sept. 30. The Salukis close out their fall schedule against Jefferson Community College (12 p.m.) and Greenville University (2 p.m.) on Saturday, Oct. 6.
Sunday's doubleheader will be the first of four-straight weekend doubleheaders for the Salukis, who are coming off a 2018 season in which they went 31-22 and advanced to the MVC Tournament Championship game.
"We will use the fall season to put people in different positions, use different lineups, use different pitching combinations, see who does well in relief and who does well as a starter," SIU head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "We have a few kids that play multiple positions so we want to get them out there. It's a learning experience for us. We want our newcomers to mesh with our returners. Our first few weeks of practice have been outstanding so we are really excited to play."
The Salukis graduated five seniors a year ago, a group that included two players who made up the left side of their infield for the better part of the last two seasons in Sydney Jones and Savannah Fisher.
Jones, a 2018 All-MVC second team selection, made 157 career appearances at third base, including 51 starts in 2018. Fisher nearly split her 198 career starts equally at second base and shortstop, as she started 88 games at second base and 86 games at shortstop. SIU will also need to replace pitcher Savanna Dover, who made 95 appearances on the mound during her four seasons, including 23 a year ago.
While the Salukis will search for replacements at third base and shortstop, the right side of their infield returns three who started 50-plus games in 2018, including All-MVC First Team selections Maddy Vermejan and Katelyn Massa. Vermejan, who was also the MVC's Defensive Player of the Year, committed just three errors at second base and led the league in on-base percentage (.482) and hit by pitches (21). Massa, meanwhile, started 50 games behind the dish for the Salukis and led the Valley in RBIs (48) and tied for second in home runs (11) while Kyleigh Decker returns after a sophomore campaign in which she started all 53 games at first base and finished third on the team in home runs (7).
Also back for the Salukis is their ace, three-time All-MVC First team selection Brianna Jones. Jones is coming off a season in which she went 26-8 with a 2.08 earned run average and 211 strikeouts. The Manchester, Tenn. native will enter the 2019 season 18 wins shy of Amy Harre's school-record of 84 and a strikeout shy of becoming just the sixth pitcher in program history with 500-plus strikeouts.
SIU will welcome five newcomers, Ashley Wood, Sidney Sikes, Nicole Johnson, Holly Marousek and Claire Miller to the team this year. Blaylock said all five should see considerable playing time throughout the fall season.
"They are progressing very well," Blaylock said of her newcomers. "Ashley Wood has come in at shortstop and is doing a really good job. Sidney Sikes has played some catcher and third basemen. Nicole Johnson has been in the outfield but she will also be a great defensive replacement. She's got wheels and can run. Our two pitchers, Claire Miller and Holly Marousek, have come in and been real steady for us. They are not too overwhelmed. They are doing a great job of learning and soaking all the information in."
The fall season will also serve as a homecoming for several opposing coaches. John A. Logan head coach Taylor (Orsburn) Siefert played for Blaylock from 2011-14 and was a career .303 hitter while a Saluki, while SLU head coach Christy Connoyer and Greenville head coach Buddy Foster were both assistants at SIU during the early 2000s.
Southern's fall season kicks off Sunday against John A. Logan (12 p.m.) and Rend Lake (2 p.m.). SIU will take on Lindenwood-Belleville (12 p.m.) and Lake Land College (2 p.m.) on Saturday, Sept. 22, before hosting Saint Louis (2 p.m.) and Murray State (4 p.m.) on Sunday, Sept. 30. The Salukis close out their fall schedule against Jefferson Community College (12 p.m.) and Greenville University (2 p.m.) on Saturday, Oct. 6.
Players Mentioned
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UTIL
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OF
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