Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Wednesday, March 27
Carbondale, Ill.
4 p.m.
Southern Illinois University
18-9
11
vs
2
University of Tennessee at Martin
22-12
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UT Martin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| Southern Illinois | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 9 | 0 |
Salukis run-rule Skyhawks for fifth-straight win
03/27/2019 | 6:54:00 | Softball
Kyleigh Decker hit two home runs and Katelyn Massa hit her first career grand slam in the win.
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois University softball team won its fifth-straight game Wednesday, as the Salukis crushed three home runs, including Katelyn Massa's walk-off grand slam, to defeat the UT Martin Skyhawks, 11-2 in six innings.
Kyleigh Decker, hitting in the eighth spot of the lineup, went 2-for-3 with two home runs and four RBI while Katelyn Massa went 1-for-3 with the game-ending grand slam with one out in the bottom of the sixth.
"(Decker's) batting average is up now and she's got a ton of power," 20th-year head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "If your eight-hole hitter is hitting like (Decker), I'd hate to have to face her."
Holly Marousek got the start in the circle and allowed two earned runs in four and a third inning to earn her first win of the season. The sophomore transfer scattered five hits and struck out three to tie her longest outing of her Saluki career. Claire Miller entered with an out in the fifth and held the Skyhawks scoreless to earn the save.
"I gave Holly the example of Arizona State and Utah where the Sun Devils won 18-17," Blaylock said. "Thats just the way college softball is nowadays. And I told her 'if we give up some runs, we will get them back for you, just settle in' and I think Holly did a great job doing that today."
Megan Brown brought in the game's first run with a RBI-single to right in the bottom of the second. Decker then tattooed the scoreboard with the first pitch she saw for her fifth home run of the season.
"I knew she was starting everyone outside, so I was going to take my chances that she was going to start me outside," Decker said of her first home run. "I just took a hack and it went over."
Marousek settled in from there, as she retired the side in both the third and the fourth.
Decker added to SIU's lead with a solo shot to left for her second home run of the game. In doing so, she became the 41st player in school history to hit two home runs in the single game.
"I knew she wasn't going to pitch me outside so it was going to be either inside or a changeup," Decker said of her second home run. "I bet that it was going to be a changeup, sat on it and it went out."
UT Martin got two runs back in the top of the fifth courtesy of a two-run home run, which chased Marousek. Claire Miller came on in relief and retired the next two batters to limit the damage.
Southern added to its lead in the bottom of the fifth when Jenny Jansen led off the with a single and came around to score on a passed ball.
In the sixth, Southern plated a run and loaded the bases with three walks and a single. After UT Martin got the first out of the frame, Massa sent the second pitch she saw over the fence in left for her first career grand slam.
The Salukis are on the road this weekend, as they travel to Bloomington, Ill. to take on the Illinois State Redbirds. First pitch of Saturday's doubleheader is set for 12 p.m.
Kyleigh Decker, hitting in the eighth spot of the lineup, went 2-for-3 with two home runs and four RBI while Katelyn Massa went 1-for-3 with the game-ending grand slam with one out in the bottom of the sixth.
"(Decker's) batting average is up now and she's got a ton of power," 20th-year head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "If your eight-hole hitter is hitting like (Decker), I'd hate to have to face her."
Holly Marousek got the start in the circle and allowed two earned runs in four and a third inning to earn her first win of the season. The sophomore transfer scattered five hits and struck out three to tie her longest outing of her Saluki career. Claire Miller entered with an out in the fifth and held the Skyhawks scoreless to earn the save.
"I gave Holly the example of Arizona State and Utah where the Sun Devils won 18-17," Blaylock said. "Thats just the way college softball is nowadays. And I told her 'if we give up some runs, we will get them back for you, just settle in' and I think Holly did a great job doing that today."
Megan Brown brought in the game's first run with a RBI-single to right in the bottom of the second. Decker then tattooed the scoreboard with the first pitch she saw for her fifth home run of the season.
"I knew she was starting everyone outside, so I was going to take my chances that she was going to start me outside," Decker said of her first home run. "I just took a hack and it went over."
Marousek settled in from there, as she retired the side in both the third and the fourth.
Decker added to SIU's lead with a solo shot to left for her second home run of the game. In doing so, she became the 41st player in school history to hit two home runs in the single game.
"I knew she wasn't going to pitch me outside so it was going to be either inside or a changeup," Decker said of her second home run. "I bet that it was going to be a changeup, sat on it and it went out."
UT Martin got two runs back in the top of the fifth courtesy of a two-run home run, which chased Marousek. Claire Miller came on in relief and retired the next two batters to limit the damage.
Southern added to its lead in the bottom of the fifth when Jenny Jansen led off the with a single and came around to score on a passed ball.
In the sixth, Southern plated a run and loaded the bases with three walks and a single. After UT Martin got the first out of the frame, Massa sent the second pitch she saw over the fence in left for her first career grand slam.
The Salukis are on the road this weekend, as they travel to Bloomington, Ill. to take on the Illinois State Redbirds. First pitch of Saturday's doubleheader is set for 12 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Marousek, Holly (1-0)
L: Caitlin Karo (5-3)
S: Miller, Claire (1)
Batting:
2B: Alli Fulcher 1
HR: Kallie Pickens 1
RBI: Kallie Pickens 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Madelyn Dycus 1 ; Kallie Pickens 1
SB: Paige Clark 2
Batting:
HR: Massa, Katelyn 1 ; Decker, Kyleigh 2
RBI: Wood, Ashley 1 ; Massa, Katelyn 4 ; Brown, Megan 1 ; Decker, Kyleigh 4
Base Running:
RUNS: Baranski, Susie 1 ; Vermejan, Maddy 1 ; Wood, Ashley 1 ; Jansen, Jenny 2 ; Massa, Katelyn 1 ; Wernig, Meredith 1 ; Pulley, Bailee 1 ; Decker, Kyleigh 2 ; Sikes, Sidney 1
HBP: Wood, Ashley 2
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
4
lf/rf
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
UT/P
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballIF/OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C/DP
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P
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