Salukis fall to Panthers, 2-0, at MVC Tournament

Friday, May 10

Peoria, Ill.

1:30 PM

Southern Illinois University

33-13

Northern Iowa

28-22

Northern Iowa

Southern Illinois

Photo by: Will Becque

05/10/2019 | 7:08:00 | Softball

Box Score

By: Will Becque, SIUSalukis.com

PEORIA, Ill. — The Southern Illinois University softball team sent the tying run to the plate with no outs in the bottom of the seventh inning of their 2019 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament semifinal game against the No. 3-seeded Northern Iowa Panthers, but the Panthers turned a rally killing double play to seal a 2-0 victory Friday.

After Jenny Jansen singled down the left field line to lead off the seventh, Ashley Wood sent a ball back up the middle that looked as though it might get through. Alas, MVC Player of the Year Sammey Bunch, who at her shortstop position was shaded towards second base, quickly scooped the grounder, tagged second and turned a 6-3 double play.

"The hit that (Ashley Wood) had is probably a hit up the middle on our field but they were playing to their defense and did a great job defensively," 20th-year head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "The MVC Player of the Year got us today."

Bunch was also the difference at the plate for the Panthers on Friday. The 2019 MVC Player of the Year, who came into the game 0-for-6 in four games against four-time All-MVC First Team selection Brianna Jones, worked a 13-pitch at-bat against Jones to hit a go-ahead, two-run home run in the top of the sixth that held up.

"We wanted her to hit our pitch," Blaylock said of the 13-pitch sequence. "But again you're talking about the Player of the Year. She's a great player and did a great job."

The game was a pitcher's duel through and through. Jones and UNI's Jaclyn Spencer matched zeros and allowed a combined four hits through the first five frames. Spencer utilized her off-speed stuff to keep SIU's potent offense at-bay and surrendered just three hits without issuing a walk to earn the win. Jones went the distance and allowed just five hits.

"Bri threw a fantastic game," Blaylock said. "We had great defensive plays. I thought our hitters did a good job but you have to remember that Jaclyn Spencer was an elite pitcher before she got hurt and was right up there with Drake's Nicole Newman and (Bri) Jones. Today was two good pitchers going after each other."

Southern showed why they are ranked third nationally in fielding percentage and had several highlight worthy-plays. Sidney Sikes made back-to-back tough plays on line drives hit at her at third in the top of the fifth and later tipped a line drive from the top of her glove to her bare hand for the first out of the seventh.

Kyleigh Decker went 2-for-2 to earn All-Tournament Team honors. Jansen, who had Southern's other hit in the top of the seventh, also earned All-Tournament honors.

The Salukis have a No. 42 RPI, a Top-25 win (over Drake), three top-50 wins (San Jose State, North Dakota State, Mississippi State) and 12 total top-100 wins but will now have to await their fate to see if their season will continue at the 2019 NCAA Tournament.

"Our whole body of work is very, very impressive but I told the kids its a 50/50 chance," Blaylock said of SIU's at-large chances. "It's in the Committee's hands. We're No. 3 in the country in fielding percentage, we have eight hitters with a .300 batting average and a pitcher with 23 wins. I think we can compete with anybody. I don't think you can make it about one game. If you make it about one game then it's not about the body of work. I think our body of work is fantastic."

The Salukis not only rank third in the NCAA in fielding percentage but set a school record for on-base percentage (.403), led the league in batting average for the first time since 2006 and committed the fewest errors in a season (25) in program history. SIU also posted 17 conference wins, tied for their most since 2005 and reached the 30-win plateau for the 17th time in Blaylock's 20 seasons as head coach.

"From being on the committee, I did all the numbers and I can make them go either way," Blaylock said. "The eye test needs to come into play at some point. The one thing I've said all along is I will respect the committee's decision because I was a part of that committee and I know how hard it is and they do diligent work. I just have to respect that they will do the best thing and I hope that we are in it but that is in someone else's hands."

The 2019 NCAA Softball Tournament Selection show is slated for 9 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN2.